Rise of a Royal Ranger
by ChibiDawn23
Summary: Prince Philip III of Zandar is a spoiled playboy. Energems choose the worthy, so why on earth would he ever think the Graphite Energem would choose him? Philip's story from spoiled royal to Graphite Ranger.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own the characters, they belong to Saban.**

 **Author's Note:** **Jarred Blakiston is doing a fantastic job of portraying Philip on PRDC. The guy needs more than just a "I came as soon as I could" walk on line and a group hug! So this is my attempt to give some insight into the character and give the guy a little more 'screen' time.**

* * *

 _800 Years Ago_ …

 _It was early morning. Birds sang in the trees and sunlight streamed through the branches to the forest floor. Prince Collin of Zandar and his guardian, Sir Ivan, Knight of Zandar, were atop their horses, going for an early morning ride._

 _"I'm thirsty. Fetch me some water." Prince Collin commanded, as they rode next to the creek. Ivan immediately dismounted, tethering his horse to a nearby tree. He helped Prince Collin off his mount, reached into the saddlebag of his horse and retrieved the silver and black jeweled goblet that was the Prince's personal cup, then knelt down next to the creek. Collin perched on a rock, crossing his arms over his chest. He gave Ivan an impatient look. Ivan bent down and filled the goblet, then handed it to the prince. As Collin drank, Ivan sat down and dipped his hand into the creek. The water rushed cold, and he cupped his hand so that he could get his own sip of the water. As he did, something caught his eye. Something was glittering in the rushing water. Ivan reached into the stream and pulled out a shiny gold stone._

 _"Give me that," Collin commanded. Sir Ivan held the stone out to the eight year old prince, who snatched it from his hand. "It is mine," Collin announced._

 _"No, it's mine!" A great beast appeared. Ivan quickly took the stone back, and instantly drew his sword and charged it. It stood taller than he, some kind of great hairy beast. The hair was so thick he could not see its face. It carried a sword. Some kind of magical beast, then, if it carried a sword. Ivan's sword met his with a great clash of metal, and they fought into the trees. The battle was great as Prince Collin cowered behind the rock. Suddenly, the beast came charging out of the forest, headed straight for the prince's hiding spot. But Sir Ivan appeared, swinging wildly at him. The monster dodged the blow and knocked Sir Ivan's blade from his hand, sending his sword and the golden gem flying into the creek where it landed with a splash. The monster hit Sir Ivan in the chest with the flat part of his blade, stunning him and sending him staggering. Then, it set its' eyes on the prince. Ivan heard the boy cry out, somehow got to his feet and retrieved his sword. Then, he locked blades with the monster as it swung a killing blow at the young prince._

 _As the two swords touched, there was a great flash of light…_

* * *

"And then Sir Ivan and the beast disappeared!"

Six year old Philip was on the edge of his seat, his eyes wide. " _Then_ what happened, Father?" he begged. He bounced up and down on the bed. "What happened to Sir Ivan?"

His father, King Philip II of Zandar, smiled and ruffled his hair. "No one knows," he admitted. "Prince Collin retrieved the golden gem and named it after our country-the Stone of Zandar. But Sir Ivan was never seen again." He glanced over at the clock above his son's bed. "And now, young man, it is time for you to go to bed."

"But-" Philip protested.

"No buts. Busy day tomorrow." His father kissed him on the forehead and got up from the four poster bed. "Sleep well, my son."

His father turned out the light before disappearing into the hall, but Philip stayed awake in the darkness, his eyes staring up at his ceiling. _Someday_ , he thought to himself, _I am going to be a hero, just like Sir Ivan!_

* * *

Two years later…

Prince Philip III of Zandar stood solemnly at his mother Irene's side, listening to the rain pound on the umbrella she was holding above their heads. The priest was saying something, but the words were blending in with the rain, and the hushed voices of the twenty or so reporters live on the scene, huddled just out of reach of the royal family. Philip's intense blue eyes, which no one else in the royal family possessed, were focused on the shiny black casket being laid into the hole in the ground. The man who had told Philip so many stories of heroes and villains, knights and castles, princesses and dragons, had died suddenly of a heart attack and was being laid to rest with a state funeral today.

His mother moved, and Philip felt himself being pulled along, her hand gripping his tightly. He let himself be led to the edge of the hole, and looked down. His mother must have dropped the rose, for it was the only color inside the wet hole, and it hadn't been there a moment ago. The rose hit the top of the casket and a few petals broke apart from the flower, lying out of place on top. He stared at them blankly.

Philip's mother Irene tapped him on the shoulder, and with the hand that wasn't holding his, handed him a rose as well. This one was white. White, like white hats and heroes. Philip looked for a moment at the flower, then dropped it to the muddy ground and squashed it with his toe. "No!" He yanked his hand from his mother's grip and disappeared into the throng of heads of state and close family friends.

Later, the news outlets would replay the scene of a heartbroken eight year old boy with the caption, "Young Prince Taking Loss of Father Hard."

Over the next few years, that heartbroken eight year old boy would be making headlines again, though not in the way a member of royalty was expected.


	2. Chapter 2

_Four Years Later…_

The gardens looked resplendent. White lights had been woven through the trees and bushes, giving the yard an ethereal glow. Fresh flowers adorned every surface, and a sparkling marble fountain gushed water in the air.

Annabeth Matthias was not impressed. She sat in her chair near the band, who was tuning up with something dully classical, an exceptionally bored look on her face. Her father, the Secretary of Zandarian Antiquities, had dragged her along this evening against her wishes. She was making no attempt to be social, and her father had finally given up. He was over chatting up the Queen of Zandar. Annabeth rolled her eyes. If this was how the evening was going to go, she just might go jump in the lake.

"Enjoying yourself?" someone asked her, and Annabeth turned to see Philip III standing in front of her. The twelve-year-old prince and future heir to the throne of Zandar was eyeing her, dressed in a dark gray suit jacket and pants. One shirttail of his white undershirt was hanging out of his belt, and his tie was hanging loosely around his neck. He also had an amusing cowlick in the back of his hair, which was otherwise perfectly coiffed.

"Not even a little," Annabeth replied. She frowned. "You look as if you just rolled out of bed."

Philip pointed above her head. "Out of that tree, actually. I hate these stupid state dinners. There's never anyone here my age and everyone else is too busy with their own agendas to pay any attention." He grinned, and pulled his jacket back so Annabeth could see the sling shot tucked in his pants. "So I make my own fun. Care to join me?"

She smiled. "I would love to," she said, getting up and following him into the bushes.

* * *

The two spent the rest of the evening terrorizing the guests. By the second acorn nailing the Secretary of Education in the back of the head, Annabeth's father forcibly escorted her from the party (kicking and screaming) and Philip was remanded to the castle for the rest of the evening.

The two became best friends, despite their parents' attempts to keep them apart. Annabeth's father told Irene that Philip was a bad influence. Irene informed the Secretary of Antiquities that his daughter was no longer invited to any other state functions because of her poor attitude.

Meanwhile, Philip and Annabeth spent their American-equivalent of middle school years causing trouble, so much so that Irene eventually pulled Philip from school and hired a private tutor.

But with the invent of social media, it didn't keep the two apart.

* * *

 _Six years later…_

Philip knew the paparazzi was watching, and he intended to give them a show. Dressed in only a pair of Speedo swim briefs, he and two of his friends were walking down the beach in Monaco. Philip had a German lager in his hands and a young university student from Italy on his arm. They were halfway down the beach, headed for their oceanside hotel when suddenly, someone stepped up next to Philip and practically yanked the Italian brunette from his arms. Philip was slightly buzzed by this point, but it still took him by surprise. "Excuse me!" he protested. "What do you-"

The blonde smirking back at him was in a skimpy black bikini, her hair falling loose around her shoulders. She'd obviously been tanning prior to the spring break holiday, because she was very dark. Her eyes were framed by Oakley sunglasses, but Philip was pretty sure that if he pulled them away, they would be brown. "Annabeth?" he gasped.

She tugged off her sunglasses and chewed on the bow. "Hi Philip," she chirped. "Fancy meeting you here." She took his alcohol from his hand and took a sip. "That's pretty good. You should buy me one."

"Your father will have kittens if he sees us together in the papers," Philip warned her.

Annabeth's response was to turn to the cameras she knew were hidden along the boardwalk, and wave, slipping her arm into Philip's. "Do I look like I care?" she purred. Philip's two friends oohed and wolf whistled.

"I doubt it," Philip replied. He looked around. "Annabeth…isn't this a topless beach?"

She looked up at him and winked, then turned so her back was to him. She lifted her hair. "Do the honors?"

* * *

Philip's face was plastered all over the tabloids throughout Europe, with a blurred out Annabeth next to him. The people of Zandar started getting nervous. This was the man that was coming of age to take the throne from his mother? This playboy was going to rule their country? Some used the excuse that this was what happened if a young man didn't have a father to emulate. Some hoped he'd grow out of it. Most of the polls figured he wouldn't, and that the country was doomed.

And Philip didn't seem to care. A few weeks later, the announcement ran that he had asked Annabeth to marry him. There was an official statement from the Queen stating that they were busy with the upcoming nuptials and they looked forward to welcoming Annabeth officially into the family.

There was no comment from the Secretary of Zandarian Antiquities.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer : I don't own the characters; they belong to Saban.**

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

 _Six months later…_

When the Royal Physician's phone number appeared on Philip's cell, he answered it instantly. " _Sire, it's your mother_ ," she was telling him. " _Her results came back…and they aren't good."_

Philip let the phone fall to the bed as he looked over at Annabeth's sleeping form. He could hear the physician calling his name, but his hands were shaking too much to pick up the phone. Finally, he heard the click on the other end indicating she had hung up the phone.

He touched Annabeth's shoulder. "Anna," he whispered. "Wake up."

She mumbled something and rolled over. Philip got up slowly from the bed, his mind in a daze. He went to the hotel room door and opened it, with the chain lock still on. "We are going home. Today."

The man in the suit-Philip didn't remember his name- nodded an acknowledgement, and Philip closed the door again. No doubt they would also be receiving the same news shortly. Philip went into the closet and began throwing his few things into his bag. The noise woke Annabeth, who sat up on the king size bed blinking in confusion. "Philip?" she asked. "What's happening?"

"We're going back to Zandar," he told her. "My mother…her outlook isn't promising." He snapped his suitcase shut. "We're leaving today."

"Today?" Annabeth blinked. "But, Philip, we didn't get-"

He wasn't ceasing in his packing, and Annabeth gave up. She got out of bed and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him from behind. The contact made his eyes tear up, and he sagged to the floor, Annabeth guiding him to the carpet as he cried.

* * *

The entire twelve-hour plane ride back to Zandar, he stared out the window. Annabeth had been watching the in-flight movies in first class most of the way. A few times, she'd tried to engage him in conversation, but that had been a pointless endeavor.

Philip was watching the sun rise somewhere over Dubai. Remembering, odd memories like his father telling him the story of Sir Ivan and Prince Collin. Of his father teaching him to ride a horse. His mother and he baking together in the kitchen. The three of them together in London, his first official state visit that he could remember. Riding on the London Eye as the sun went down. Going on a river cruise of the Seine in Paris, seeing the Eiffel Tower from the banks all lit up.

 _All this time I had to spend with them. Father was taken when I was young, but Mother…I had all this time with her, and what have I been doing with my life?_

Wasting it.

The word bounced around in his head, echoed around the inside of the wide body jet. Annabeth was the only thing he was sure of, even if her father was less than impressed with their engagement. His mother, at least, she was supportive, even if she didn't approve. Annabeth's father had practically gone into hiding.

The sun rose higher and he finally forced himself to turn away so he wouldn't go blind. Annabeth was sleeping in the seat next to him, an airline-provided mask over her eyes.

 _I've been such an idiot_ , he though to himself, staring at the seat in front of him. _The moment we land…that will change_.

* * *

 _One month later…_

The gardens reminded Philip of the night that he'd met Annabeth, which was appropriately fitting. He fiddled with his gray bow tie.

"Stop that," a quiet voice chided him, and he looked over to his mother, being wheeled into the room in her wheelchair by Giles, one of the chauffeurs. That had been Philip's idea for her to have her own driver, and his mother had laughed. It was one of the best sounds he'd heard.

"Mother," Philip said. "How are you feeling?"

She closed her eyes and smiled as Philip kissed her cheek. "Happy," she said, breathlessly. She held his face inbetween her hands for a moment. "You look so handsome," she told him. "Like your father on our wedding day."

"I wish he was here," Philip confessed.

"As I do, every day," Irene responded. "But you….look at you." She smiled warmly. "Philip, I don't know what the difference is-well, I can hazard a guess-in your behavior the past month but I have never been prouder of you." There was a moment of pause as she took a few deep breaths. "The man I see before me, no matter his past...will be a fine ruler for Zandar."

There was a polite cough, and Philip got to his feet as he turned to see Martin, one of his security detail, tap his watch. "It's time, sir," he said.

Philip looked up at Giles. "I have this, Giles," he said, and Giles stepped back and Philip took his place behind the handlebars of his mother's chair and pushed her out into the garden. He wheeled her right up to the front of the aisle and kissed her again, then went to take his place at the altar.

The photos of him kissing his mother made headlines, and ran in more papers than the actual photo of him and his new bride.

* * *

 _Two days later…_

He wanted to run again, but he couldn't make his feet move. The only differences between this funeral and his father's were the sunshine instead of the rain…and it was Annabeth's hand in his rather than his mother's.

The priest looked at him, and Philip forced his body forward, a single white rose in his hand. He stood over the edge of the grave and let the flower fall to the silver casket.

 _I will make you proud of me_ , he promised silently. _I swear it_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 _Three years later…_

The numbers were starting to blur together on the page. Philip blinked and rubbed his face with his hands. Sunlight streamed in behind him, making the budget report on his desk glow in the afternoon sun, and the antique oak wood was way too warm.

Philip hadn't been ready for the mundane tasks such as confirming budget reports. He'd been expecting his job as Prince of Zandar to be a hair more exciting.

No matter how hard he tried, it seemed as though he couldn't make anyone happy. Whoever had said, "You can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time" had clearly been ruling a country. As a result, when criticism came his way, he tended to revert back to his twelve and eighteen-year old selves.

He was _trying_. He hadn't had anyone to show him how to be a king. Which is why he refused to be one in title. In fact, he'd pitched a little boy tantrum until the council voted to let him retain his title as Prince instead of King. There was only one King, and it had been his father.

And he wasn't a good enough man to fill his father's shoes.

There was a buzz, and he looked at the intercom on his telephone. "Sire?" the voice of his personal assistant, Margaret, asked.

He yawned. "Yes, Margaret?" he said, hoping she hadn't caught the yawn.

"Sire, the Secretary of Antiquities is here."

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Annabeth's _father_ was here? The man hadn't spoken to Philip in more than an official capacity since he had taken the throne two and a half years ago. And there was nothing he needed to discuss with the Secretary of Antiquities. "Annabeth isn't here," he told Margaret. "She's in Paris for the weekend."

He was glad for it. More and more he was realizing…marrying Annabeth had been a mistake. She represented everything in his past that he was trying to bury. She didn't take her duties seriously-she had missed a visit at the capital's Children's Hospital just the other day. When Philip had confronted her about it (after a _very_ irate hospital director had reamed him out for an hour), she told him she'd simply forgotten about it, but the photos of her in the fashion district suggested otherwise.

Philip had hardly seen her in the past few months. Much of it was him being tied up at the office, but even when they were both at home, they weren't together. Their fights had become legendary, so much so that the paparazzi had taken a poll as to where their next meltdown would be.

"Yes, sir," Margaret replied. "He isn't here to see his daughter. He is here to talk with you."

 _Wonderful_. He closed his eyes. "Send him in," he said. He was not in the mood to deal with whatever this man was going to say, not on a day that had been consumed with budgetary decisions. The country had money, a lot of it, and he was only just realizing how many things required it. And how much of it he had squandered on trips to Monte Carlo and Santorini.

The heavy oak door opened and in stepped Margaret, formally introducing Samuel Matthias, the graying Secretary of Zandarian Antiquities into his office. Philip didn't bother to get up. "Your Highness," Matthias said formally, not bothering to hide the contempt in his voice.

 _Yes. This is going to be a great meeting_. "Mr. Secretary," Philip inclined his head. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Matthias crossed the deep red carpet and threw a letter on his desk. Philip shot him a Look with his intense blue eyes. "What is this?" he asked, trying to stay professional. He picked up his letter opener and slit it open. The postmark, to his surprise, was from the United States. He pulled out a letter on gray stationery.

 _To the Royal Family of Zandar and Prince Philip III,_

 _We are formally submitting a request to have the Amber Beach History Museum included as a stop on the tour of the Zandarian Antiquities. Our Museum is consistently ranked high in visitor satisfaction and we routinely pass our inspections in handling and displaying our artifacts._

 _To have the Treasures of Zandar displayed at our museum would be educational for all age groups. To this end, we will dedicate an entire wing to the treasures and you may designate the length of visit as you see fit. We will also provide board for your security team accompanying the artifacts._

 _Thank you for your time,_

 _Kendall Morgan  
Museum Director_

Philip raised his eyes above the paper to Matthias. "The treasures of Zandar are due back in country at the end of this week. They have been on tour for the past year and a half." And he'd had a hard time parting with them for that long. There was something about the Stone of Zandar, the main piece of the exhibit, the stone Sir Ivan had found in that little creek 800 years ago. Philip didn't like the idea of it being out of his sight and guard. It had been like pulling teeth to get him to agree to it. Annabeth had persuaded him in the end, citing the educational value, and the opportunity to market their country to the world.

Now he was beginning to wonder if her and her father hadn't been in on it together.

"Indeed, Sire," Matthias agreed. "However, the reviews on this museum are spectacular, and it is in California, which is a large state and the possibilities for market-" Philip raised an eyebrow and Matthias hastily amended, "-for educational purposes about our country and history, are immense." He pointed to the paper. "Sire, I strongly encourage you to accept their terms and let the treasures stay out on tour just a bit longer."

Philip shook his head. "I'm afraid your request is being denied," he told Matthias. "I simply cannot allow them to be out of our sight for a moment longer."

"Prince Philip-"

Philip stood. "That is my official response, Mr. Secretary. You are dismissed."

Matthias opened his mouth as if he was going to respond, but Philip fixed him with a cold stare, and the secretary shut his mouth, spun on his heel, and marched out of the office. The door slammed behind him.

"Impressive," Philip muttered. "That door is heavy." He sat down in his seat again and threw the letter on the desktop.

* * *

Outside, Margaret jerked as Samuel Matthias came storming out of the office. He blew right past her and disappeared out into the main hall, leaving her very confused. She thought about checking in with Philip to make sure he was still alive, but she didn't need to. Two seconds later, Philip's voice came over the intercom. "Margaret. No more visitors today, please."

She had figured that. "Sire, does that extend to _all_ visitors?" Margaret queried tactfully. She wouldn't have been a good personal assistant if she hadn't noticed the tension between husband and wife.

After a moment, Philip replied, "All visitors please, Margaret. And would you grab me some water?"

"Of course, sir." She paused. "Is everything all right?" she asked.

Another moment of pause. "Fine, Margaret," Philip's tired voice responded. "Absolutely fine."

She also wouldn't have been a good personal assistant if she hadn't known when he was lying.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer : I don't own the characters; they belong to Saban.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five:**

 _A few days later…_

Margaret's heels clicked on the parquet floor as she sprinted down the grand hall. Her Bluetooth headset was threatening to fall out of her ear and she reached up and yanked it out in a swift motion, tucking it into her blouse pocket. She blew past the security guard standing outside her office and flew inside. She didn't bother to announce herself as she threw open the thick door to Prince Philip's office.

Philip and Annabeth, who had only moments before been arguing-again (lately, it seemed to be a daily occurrence)- both turned in alarm at the interruption.

"What in the-" Annabeth was cut off by Philip holding a hand in the air.

"Margaret," he said carefully, "I trust that you have a good explanation for your behavior?"

She nodded breathlessly. "Sire, there is something you both should see." She reached for the remote and flipped on the 36-inch flatscreen bolted to the wall above the fireplace. It was a live feed on some mindless gossip network from the United States. The anchor was sitting to the left of a screen cap of a gray concrete and glass building, narrating:

" _The stone of Zandar exhibit has its grand opening tomorrow. Rumor has it the Zandarian prince will be making a rare public appearance with his bride, wearing the Stone of Zandar itself."_

Philip stepped closer to the television, studying the wording on the side of the building. AMBER BEACH HISTORY MUSEUM. His eyes widened. A second photo replaced the establishing shot of the museum. This one was of two young people, who couldn't have been older than Philip, if that. The girl had mocha skin and dark eyes. Her hair was done up in a tight twist and she wore a small black hat with netting that covered the top third of her face.

"Is that _my_ tiara?" Annabeth fumed, catching sight of the silver and gold ornament on top of her head, but Philip was more interested in what was around the girl's neck.

Nestled between her collarbones was a golden stone on a necklace with golden feathers. The Stone of Zandar.

Philip's jaw dropped. He looked at Annabeth, furious. "Margaret," he said, trying to keep a civil tongue, "please inform the Secretary of Antiquities that I want him in my office _yesterday_!"

Margaret looked at Annabeth. "Yes, sir," she said, turning on her heel and disappearing back into the outer office.

This was not going to be a happy visit, that was certain.

* * *

Philip rounded on Annabeth. "Did you know about this?" he demanded. Annabeth's eyes narrowed and she moved to protest, but Philip grabbed her arm. "I know how thick you and your father are. You knew about this, didn't you?"

"Of _course_ not!" Annabeth shouted. "Do you think I'd willingly let some…some… _woman_ wear my tiara?"

"Not about the newscast!" Philip barked. "That your father left the treasures out on tour after I specifically informed him to bring them home!"

"I don't have any idea what my father does when he is at work!" Annabeth shot back. "He doesn't discuss his business with me!"

"I'm sure he doesn't," Philip said furiously. He pointed to the door. "Out. Get out."

She glared at him. "Ex _cuse_ me?"

"I need to speak to your father alone," he told her. "I will see you for supper this evening."

She shook her head. "No," she growled. "You won't." With that, she brushed past him and out the door, leaving him standing in the middle of the room.

* * *

Samuel Matthias had the audacity to come strolling into Philip's office like he owned the place, adding to Philip's already sour temperament. "Your Highness wished to see me?" Matthias asked.

Philip turned on the television, replaying the DVR'd news clip from Glitz World. "I don't suppose you know something about this?" he asked, sarcasm practically dripping from each syllable.

Samuel Matthias adopted a defensive pose, his arms crossed over his chest. "As the Secretary of Antiquities, I have a vested interest in the traveling exhibit. That exhibit is bringing in much-needed publicity and tourists to our country. In the past year alone, 75% of visitors surveyed at the airport have said they've come because of the exhibit. Therefore, I felt it was in our best interest to…extend their visit."

"In _whose_ best interest?" Philip growled. " _Yours_ , Secretary Matthias?" He pointed to the screen. "Perhaps you can explain why our most famous national treasure is around the neck of some female impersonating your daughter?"

Matthias clearly hadn't seen the clip. He studied the frozen photo. But then, his face turned back to passive, and he said smoothly, "Sire, had I known-"

"Had you _known_?" Philip exploded. "Secretary, I believe in our _meeting_ a few days ago that I specifically gave you an order to bring the exhibit home, and now I find that their stay in America has been extended?"

Matthias was a lovely shade of white and red, and Philip could see sweat forming on his brow. "Secretary Matthias," he said, speaking deliberately, "you are _dismissed_ from your position as Secretary of Zandarian Antiquities as of this moment." He pointed to the door. "Get. Out. Of my office."

Matthias glared at him. "You will regret this, Philip," he said, no longer feeling the need to use Philip's official title.

"I doubt that very much," Philip hissed back. "Get out."

* * *

Margaret watched Samuel Matthias slouch his way out of her office and into the great hall. He said nothing, but he was sweating profusely. Something had happened in that office. Prince Philip followed on his heels. "Margaret, tell the staff to prepare the jet. I am leaving for Amber Beach, California, immediately."

She looked at him. "Sir?"

He looked back at her. "I have some precious cargo that needs to be returned to our kingdom."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

Philip had never been to the United States. His parents had gone a couple of times but he'd been too young to travel with them. Once they'd gotten off the plane in San Francisco it was about a three hour drive by limo to the smaller city of Amber Beach. California was beautiful, and Philip would have appreciated it more had he not been so furious.

The museum was easy to find. It was one of the largest buildings in the town. The limousine pulled up alongside the curb, and Philip didn't even bother waiting for Giles to open the door. He threw open the door and stepped out, barely meeting his two security guards on the sidewalk as he strode briskly into the museum. Once inside, Philip could hear voices echoing through the corridors, and he followed the sounds to a large atrium with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking a neatly-combed botanical garden. A blonde woman with glasses was standing at the podium, fielding questions from the press. Philip spotted the glass display case next to the window, where the Stone of Zandar sat, glittering in the sunlight-much as it probably had been 800 years ago when Sir Ivan had first discovered it.

His entrance had not gone unnoticed. Several members of the press turned and began whispering, then shouting when they realized who he was. He snapped his fingers at one of his security men. "Collect the treasures." If there was one thing he still knew how to do, it was give the press a show.

"What's going on?" a young man in a red raglan t-shirt was asking, looking at Philip in confusion.

The woman from the podium strode over to them purposefully. "Excuse me, I'm the museum director," she informed him. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

Philip fixed her with an icy stare. "I'm taking what belongs to me." He was absolutely livid and had had almost a full day on a plane to work up enough frustration. The extension of the treasures to her museum may not have been her fault, but the Stone of Zandar had been out of its case and made into a piece of jewelry. _That_ he could blame on the museum personnel.

And _then_ , Philip had seen the news mid-transit about an attack at the museum. He had heard of America's famed Power Rangers heroes, but the fact that the Stone of Zandar had been taken-although retrieved, from the looks of it-meant that there had been a serious breach of security.

A young man in a green sweater vest crossed his arms over his chest. "No that's impossible, these belong to the royal fam-" He broke off midsentence and recognition dawned. "Oh…"

Philip glared at him. "Starting to get the picture, are we? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Philip III of Zandar. The _real_ Prince. Unlike the impostors I saw on television." A young woman had come to stand next to the gentleman in red, and now it was Philip's turn to have recognition dawn. "Wait a moment." He turned his eyes to the two of them and watched them shrink in surprise. "This is _you_ two, isn't it?" he demanded, holding up a magazine cover from the day before. The two of them were staring at themselves, dressed as the supposed Prince and Princess of Zandar.

"Uh…" was all the young woman could say, and she turned to the man in red for help.

Philip followed her eyes, studying the young man. He shook his head. "It's a wonder anyone mistook you for a prince," he said, and now the man in red's eyes narrowed. Before he could speak, someone put a hand on Philip's shoulder and he whirled around to see another young man standing behind him. This one had shaggy, shoulder-length black hair, a blue t-shirt with no sleeves, and denim shorts. He wore no shoes. He was holding a half-eaten apple in his hand.

"We mean no disrespect," the new arrival said, in halting English.

Philip cocked his head and looked at him. "And what would _you_ know about respect?" He gave the young man a once over. "Look at you," he said. He plucked a leaf from Koda's hair. "Filthy. And shoeless. Where you born in a cave?

The man in blue shook his head. "No, born on mammoth hunt. Mother could not make it home to cave." Koda offered him the apple. "Want some?"

Philip wrinkled his nose and brushed past the man in blue, bumping him in the shoulder. He looked at the pull-down banner of Sir Ivan up on the stage. "A knight's bravery is what makes this stone a legend." He glared daggers at the six people staring in openmouthed shock at him. "How _dare_ you touch it. None of you are worthy." He spun on his heel so quickly, security had to struggle to keep up with his long strides.

* * *

The scenery sped by but Philip was more interested in what was in his hand. He stared at the three-inch long stone he held between his thumb and forefinger. The ends were a striking silver, but the middle was a liquid gold. The stone seemed to glitter with its' own light.

 _The Stone of Zandar_. He had never actually seen it out of its' case. His country's most precious treasure, an 800-year old symbol of one man's bravery and loyalty.

And it was in his hand. His words echoed in his head, the ones he had yelled at the museum staffers. _None of you are worthy_. The stone seemed to blink back at him, as if to say, _And what have_ you _done to earn the honor?_

He tucked it into his pocket and turned his eyes out the tinted window.

As the limousines traveled down the highway, suddenly, something hit the back of the armored vehicle with great force, throwing Philip forward in his seat. Giles swerved, and the road got rougher. They must have pulled off onto a side road. The limo halted quickly and Philip was thankful for the lap belt holding him on the seat. Outside, he heard someone yell. "Protect the prince!"

"Dressed for their own funerals," he heard a voice growl from the road. It could have been a man…except that there was an undertone of something…almost like an animal.

Philip heard the sounds of gunfire and fists. "There's too many!" someone yelled, before the words were cut off in a garbled yell.

Philip couldn't see much from the backseat. _I don't know if I can help them,_ he thought _, but I'm no good to anyone staying here!_

Philip climbed out of the limo's backseat and his eyes widened as he spotted the creatures fighting his security detail. Tall, seven or eight foot creatures… "Good heavens," he gasped, and turned to run. As he did, a great hand shoved him against the side of the limo, pinning him to the side, and he looked up to see a lion-like beast on two legs breathing down at him. "W-what are you?" he stammered.

The beast got in his face, and Philip cringed, catching sight of a z-shaped blade in the creature's hand- _paw_? "Give me the energem," it hissed.

 _What?_ Philip blinked. "E-energem? I don't know what-"

"Don't play stupid with me!" the beat howled. His blade began to glow, inches from Philip's face. Terrified, Philip felt his hand moving of its own accord, and the beasts' eyes widened at the sight of the Stone of Zandar, glowing in the sunlight.

"Don't! Stop!" a voice cried out, and something came flying past Philip, knocking the golden beast away. He blinked and pocketed the stone, then turned to see the young man from the museum crouched low and staring at the golden monster. "You!" Philip gasped, recognizing him.

The young man glanced back at him for a moment, then focused his brown eyes on the monster in front of them. Without warning, he exploded from his place on the ground, straight at the lion creature. His bare foot caught it in the chest, but before he could bring his other foot around again, the beast caught his leg and flipped him backwards. How he managed to stay on his feet was a wonderment to Philip, who hadn't seen anyone fight like this except for in films.

 _He's incredible_.

"Hang on Koda!" Philip turned to see four others running toward the fight, the impostor prince and princess and two others he'd seen standing near the window at the museum. They were met by several of the green-headed monsters. They burst into battle. The one in the green shirt had produced a blade from somewhere, and the man in black with the backwards hat was firing laser shots at the others from a curious-looking gun.

A voice cried out, and Philip returned his gaze to the fight–Koda, they'd called him- was having with the lion monster. Koda had cartwheeled backwards so that he was standing between Philip and the monster again, breathing hard. "I thought you were the strong one." The lion's sword began to glow, and Philip's eyes widened.

They were right there. A point blank shot. There was no escaping.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own the characters; they belong to Saban.**

 **Author's Note:** **Well, saw they gave Mr. Blakiston yet another walk on line of dialogue before the midseason break...thanks, I guess...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 7:**

Philip had never thought much about how he would die. When he was a kid, pretending to be Sir Ivan of Zandar, he was undefeated in jousts and battles with monsters. He wanted to think he'd be brave, that he'd draw his sword and attack.

Except he didn't have a sword. And he was _terrified_. Seeing an _actual_ monster in front of him was a whole different world.

"Nothing is going to stop me from getting that energem!" the lion growled.

Koda shoulder rolled into the ditch and grabbed something, then leapt back onto the road in front of Philip. "Koda stop you!" he informed the monster.

"What are you doing?" Philip demanded, noticing the hubcap from one of the limos in Koda's outstretched hands. Before Koda could explain, bolts of purple and green energy exploded from the end of the monster's sword. Koda brought the hubcap up, deflecting the bolts. His feet dug into the concrete as Philip covered his eyes.

The blast from the ricochet knocked them both away from the vehicle and into the grassy field on the side of the road. Philip hit the ground and rolled, hard. Bits of rock and dirt stung his face and hands as he slid to a stop. He waited a moment, then opened his eyes. _I'm alive. Unbelieveable!_ He was surprised the gem was still in his hand as he struggled to stand. Someone grabbed him under the arm, pulling to his feet in an instant. "Come. Fury after you," Koda, the man in blue, said, and together, they took off into the trees.

They walked for what seemed like forever. Finally, Koda stopped in the middle of a copse of trees. He sniffed the air. "You safe here," he declared, and Philip sagged, his back to a tree. He felt sick to his stomach. Koda crouched down across from him, resting his hands on his knees.

Koda had saved his life, Philip realized.

"I'm at a loss for words after how I treated you. The insults…" Philip shook his head. "Why would you risk your life for me?" _And I said that he wasn't worthy. It appears I'm wrong about a lot of things these days._

Koda pointed at his chest. "Everyone has good on inside," and Philip managed a smile.

"Even mean prince, like you," Koda continued.

Philip coughed. "I suppose I deserved that." He looked up at Koda. "You were incredible. Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Koda grinned, but before he could answer, there was a roar. The monster was coming. A giant boulder was rolling toward them, crashing through the trees like they were toothpicks. Koda knocked Philip aside and this time, he lost his grip on the gem. He stretched his fingers toward it, but a giant paw filled his vision, and plucked it away. "Finally. After eight hundred years, the gold energem is mine!"

"Eight _hundred_ years?" Philip gasped. _Impossible. It can't be!_ This couldn't be the same beast that bested Sir Ivan centuries ago… _or could it? After all I've seen today…_ "You're the monster that attacked Prince Collin 800 years ago?"

"Yes." The monster-Fury, Koda had said-took a menacing step toward him. "That prince survived. _You_ will not." Philip threw an arm in front of his face, as if that somehow would protect him.

There was a burst of electrical energy, or something, because Philip could smell burning grass and bark, and the hairs on his arms were standing straight up. Then, someone was grabbing him under the arm and pulling him to his feet. "Don't worry, we got you." Philip opened his eyes to see the young man from this morning-wearing the green sweater vest- holding him up.

"Are you okay?" He was immediately followed by the boy in red from earlier. "I'm Tyler," he said by way of introduction. "This is Riley." The boy in green waved. "And you've met Koda, of course." Koda gave him a happy grin and an enthusiastic wave.

Philip looked around, but Fury had disappeared. "I-I don't understand. Where-?"

"He took off," an accented voice that wasn't American said. Philip saw the boy with the black sweatshirt and backwards baseball cap jogging through the woods, followed by the girl in pink. "You okay, mate?" he asked Philip.

"That's Chase," Tyler said. "And Shelby." The girl in the pink gave him an awkward wave.

"I'm a fool," Phillip groaned. He looked at Chase. "But physically, I am fine." He brushed his jacket off and straightened his tie. Then he gasped. "That monster has the Stone of Zandar."

"Yeah," Shelby sighed. "We know."

"You guys, go after Fury," Tyler told the group standing around Philip. "I gotta grab something."

Koda looked at Philip as the others followed Tyler's order and took off. "Go back to road. To safety," he ordered Philip. Then, before Philip could argue, Koda was gone, leapfrogging over the downed trees and rocks. He was out of Philip's sight in an instant.

* * *

Philip was left alone in the trees. The rational part of his brain agreed to what Koda had told him. Safety was behind him. Wherever the people from the museum were going…it couldn't be good. Or safe, if it involved that lion monster. But… _I cannot just stand here_ , he decided. The eight year old in him wanted to see more of Koda in action. The prince in him refused to be told what to do. And the Zandarian in him needed to see the Stone of Zandar back in his hands.

He made his decision. He stripped off his suit jacket and left it by the rock and loosened his tie. Then, he took off in the general direction Koda had disappeared in, hoping he wouldn't get lost.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT:**

The terrain was a little slippery, a little rocky, and a little hard to follow, but Philip knew he was going the right direction. That was obvious by the sounds of metal on metal and people yelling, plus the sound of body contact.

Philip came bursting out of the woods and almost over the side of a rocky outcrop. His leather shoes skidded to a stop in the gravelly ground and he threw his hands out ahead of him, crashing into a decent-sized boulder to keep from going over the side. "Oh!"

He snapped his mouth shut quickly. What if that thing….Fury…had heard him? He closed his eyes and listened for a few moments.

Nothing.

Philip scrambled to the edge of the cliff and looked over the edge. Below, he saw the four young people squaring off against Fury and the others who'd attacked his convoy. There were also a metal, man-shaped monster and two twin blue monsters. _Good Lord. They don't stand a chance!_

"It morphing time!" he heard Koda yell, as the four of them pulled out some kind of futuristic-looking weapons-the same kind of gun that Chase had been using earlier on the road. "Unleash the power!" A moment later, standing in their place, were four people with helmets and suits of blue, green, black and pink.

"They're…Power Rangers," Philip realized. The suits were unmistakable. There was a great explosion behind the four of them, the smoke and flame nearly reaching him on top of the cliffside. Then, above him, a great shadow appeared, a golden…pterodactyl. _A pterodactyl. Of course,_ Philip shook his head to clear it. _Because giant lion monsters, and Power Rangers, and why wouldn't there be?_ It came swooping low, past him, and Philip could see sunlight glinting off its body. _Not alive,_ he realized. _A machine!_ _Incredible!_ He ducked behind the rock as one fiery blue eye came past him. As its tail passed him, Philip poked his head up and looked over the side of the cliff, getting down on his stomach and gently pushing himself so his head was over the side.

"You can't outrun it forever!" Fury yelled as the bird released a barrage of flame down on the four of them. But then, out of the air, a burst of energy was shot at it, and Philip looked up to see a giant red…tyrannosaurus. _God, this is fantastic!_ he exulted in his mind. Today was amazing. He'd been saved by a caveman, and he was realizing that indeed was what Koda was. Up in the sky, a pterodactyl and a gigantic T-rex were duking it out, and below, the Power Rangers were making short work of the monsters. "Dear God," he muttered, fascinated by it all. "Fantastic."

* * *

The fight went on and Philip watched in silence as the rangers battled the monsters. The red ranger was after Fury. As it had in front of Philip, the sword began to glow again, and the red ranger dodged the blast that came from it.

Then, the Red Ranger-Tyler, Philip remembered-counterattacked. Fury hit the ground and rolled. As Philip watched, the monster's chest began to glow. Something pulsed from it, a bright golden light. It stretched and moved, almost like it was alive. Fury howled like he was in pain. The golden light seemed to engulf the entire area as it exploded. The light burned Philip's eyes, and when he could finally see again, he noticed that Tyler was out of his suit, lying on the ground. Inbetween him and Fury was a young man, with short, dark black hair and olive skin. He was wearing what looked like chain mail and knee high leather boots.

The red ranger went over to the person and scrambled back. "Who are you?" Tyler asked him, and Philip heard the question echo up the rock face. Tyler helped him to his feet and stepped back as the new arrival surveyed the area. Then, he turned to look at Fury, and Philip's jaw dropped.

The young man with the chain mail armor glared at Fury. His voice was strong, and loud enough that it echoed off the cliff. "I am Sir Ivan, Knight of Zandar!"

Philip's jaw hit the ground. "Sir _Ivan_? That's _impossible_!" He seemed to be using that word a lot today. But even as he said it, the picture from the pull-down banner at the museum filled his vision, the etching in Zandarian history books, the full-length portrait in the Grand Hall, the coat of arms on his chest…

No, this certainly _was_ Sir Ivan. 800 years, and he had not aged a day! His childhood hero was _real_ , and he was standing below him, facing off against his greatest adversary, the lion-like monster called Fury. Protecting the Stone of Zandar and innocent people as he had all those years ago. Philip lay transfixed by the whole thing, completely in shock.

"Finally, tis my turn." Ivan stepped forward, his eyes filled with determination. The knight retrieved the Stone of Zandar from the ground.

"That energem is _mine_!" Fury growled at him.

As Philip watched, Ivan tossed it into the air. "Gold Ptera morpher! Unleash the power!" The stone dropped easily into a device that had appeared on his wrist. Seconds later, standing where Ivan had stood was a gold-suited Power Ranger. "Still think the stone is _yours_?" Ivan taunted Fury.

Fury roared, the sound shaking the cliffs. He pointed a clawed hand at two large, blue monsters who had appeared. "Attack!"

Ivan didn't move from his spot as they charged. Philip watched in awe as Sir Ivan battled the monsters easily. "Summon Ptera Saber!" Philip watched him insert the golden gem into the grip of a deadly-looking silver and blue blade. "Lightning strike!"

The tin man attacked, but Ivan's blade stunned him. "Feel the power of the storm." One of the blue ones tried charging him, but Ivan stunned him with a dazzling attack. "Lightning final strike!" The blast from the sword's tip sent the blue monster heels over head and dropped him to the dirt. "Anyone else?" Ivan demanded.

He got his answer a moment later. To Philip's horror, the two twin monsters grew to a massive height. Philip scrambled backwards as the giant beasts towered over him, but they advanced forward without spotting him-and thank God for that! Philip cautiously peered over the side again. Ivan took a running leap and landed on the head of the great golden pterodactyl, which had come around for another strike. Ivan disappeared, and as Philip watched in confusion, the golden dinosaur began to change. Legs appeared, a head with glowing purple eyes. It whipped off a giant black cape that vanished without a trace, and turned to battle the two blue monsters. The wings of the pterodactyl were sharp blades, and sparks rained down over Philip as he covered his head.

A moment later, it was all over, and Philip brought his head back up only to cover it as the two blue monsters exploded and crashed to the ground. He looked down, and seeing no sign of the monsters, or Fury, or anyone but the people from the museum, he started picking his way down the cliff. _Note to self, I need some better shoes_ , he thought to himself as his shoes slipped in the rock and gravel. He landed unceremoniously on his rear end, but got up quickly and dusted himself off before making his way over to the group of young people, now back in their regular clothing.

It was Tyler who spotted him first. "Prince Philip? Why are you still here?" he asked him.

At the word 'prince', Ivan turned. His eyes widened, and he instantly dropped to one knee, pressing one fist to his chest. "Sire!" he said, lifting his eyes to Philip. He held out the gem in both hands. "I am at your service!"

Philip was taken aback. He frowned. "Do…do you _know_ me?" he stammered.

Ivan replied instantly, "I know the royal blood of Zandar when I see it. I have spent my entire life protecting your family." His eyes dropped to the gem. "This belongs to the royal family."

Philip couldn't believe this was happening. There was part of him that was trying desperately to stay regal and composed. The other part _–_ his six-year-old self-really wanted to ask Ivan for an autograph or something. "So you…you truly are Sir Ivan, Knight of Zandar?" He gestured. "And the monster did not destroy you."

Ivan looked down and away, almost like he was ashamed of that fact. "No, he captured me for 800 years. Only when aided by the power of that stone did I escape."

Philip heard a cough, and turned to face Riley. "Um…it isn't just a stone. It's an energem." Riley reached a hand into his shirt and pulled out a green stone on a black cord. The others did the same, with stones the color of their Power Rangers uniforms. "They have more power than you can every imagine," Riley continued.

"You might have noticed," Chase spoke up with a tired grin.

"Ten energems were lost, we've only found five," Shelby put in.

"And the Stone of Zandar is the sixth," Tyler finished, inclining his head toward the stone Ivan was still holding.

Philip was torn. The Stone of Zandar belonged in Zandar. It was truly, he realized more now than ever, a national treasure. At the same time…there was something very serious, very dangerous, happening here, in Amber Beach, California. The five young warriors that stood in front of him now had held their own today, but he could see the fatigue in their body posture, in their eyes.

They could use some help. And the Stone of Zandar-no, the gold energem-was necessary for Ivan to aid them in that quest.

He made his decision. He reached down and closed Ivan's fingers around the golden stone. Ivan looked up, then made a sharp gesture with his hand. Ivan stood instantly, standing stiffly at attention like a modern-day soldier. "The…energem…is yours, to use as you will."

Ivan transferred the gem to one hand, then closed his fist around it. That fist touched his chest again as he bowed shortly. "Trust that I will use it to make the kingdom proud."

Philip smiled. "Of this, I have no doubt." Then, he turned to the other five. "I am humbled by your bravery and courage." He heard a rumble, and looked down to a small access road. A limo flying the colors of Zandar was rumbling up the gravel road. He smiled faintly, and turned to Tyler. "May you discover the remaining four energems safely."

Tyler nodded with a grin. Philip returned the smile, and then turned to leave. He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. "Are you…all right?" The voice belonged to Koda, and Philip turned to his protector in blue. He sighed, and shook his head. "This is much to take in," he admitted. "I fear I need some time on my own." He looked at Tyler, Shelby, Riley, Chase, Koda, and Ivan. "You have inspired me. To do much more with myself." He nodded to Koda. "And for that, I thank you."

Koda broke into a huge grin, and threw his arms around Philip, knocking him off balance. He chuckled as the caveman released the hug and stepped back. Ivan's jaw was practically in the dirt, and Philip tried not to laugh. In Ivan's time, that probably would've gotten Koda killed.

* * *

Philip turned and made his way back to the limo, pleased to see all of his security detail had survived the attack on the road. _And probably more thanks to the Power Rangers than their own skills_ , he admitted to himself. They were truly amazing. Brave and heroic. Worthy of the gems they possessed. As Philip took his seat inside the limo again, he closed his eyes, thinking.

Shelby had said there were ten energems. Their gems allowed them power to dinosaurs. It was logical, then, that the other four remaining gems belonged to other dinosaurs.

When he returned to Zandar…he needed to make a few phone calls. He was going on a quest, like a knight of old. To prove himself worthy, to his parents, to his family legacy, and to one of those stones...


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer : I don't own the characters. If I did, seriously, Jarred Blakiston would be getting more than just a few walk-on lines here and there this season :)**

 **Author's** **Note : I'm sure folks were wondering who the heck this update was from! It's ME your friendly neighborhood ImaSupernaturalCSI, just with a new name. I decided after ten years it was time for a change ;) Hope I didn't throw anybody off. **

**Author's Note 2 : Saw clips of today's episode with our favorite Prince of Zandar and decided to update this one while I'm working through rewriting "Spirit of the Tiger" for "Legendary Legacy."**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine:**

Philip glanced out the window of the Gulfstream jet as they came in for a landing. Already the press was swarming the runway. He looked at his shellshocked security team. A few of them hadn't spoken since the attack on the limos.

"Gentlemen," Philip said, and it made a few of them jump. They turned to look at their employer. "Your bravery in…unusual circumstances, has been noted. Thank you. You will be compensated for your time with three weeks of paid vacation for you and your families, compliments of the Zandarian treasury." The wheels touched down and he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Just get me through the press." He smiled. "Heaven knows they're worse than the monsters you faced."

That got him a laugh, and he nodded. He straightened his tie and pushed his sleeves up past his elbows. That would throw the press for a loop too-they'd probably never seen him so relaxed. The hatch was popped and he followed his security team-who, to their credit, performed excellently-into the waiting limousine.

Philip rode in the limo to the castle, his mind thousands of miles away in Amber Beach, California. _Dinosaurs roamed the entire earth at one point before the continents split. So it's possible that there could be an Energem in Europe right?_

His mind was racing with that question as they arrived at the palace. He ignored the press outside and went directly inside and headed straight for his office. Margaret was at her desk when he stepped into the space. She stood up quickly. "Prince Philip! It's good to have you back, sir."

"Good to be back," Philip replied. "I'll be in my office, please hold all calls and visitors." He had one hand on the door handle before he asked, almost an afterthought, "Is Anna around?"

"She's not here, sir," Margaret replied. Philip could hear it in her tone that it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "She is out, I believe."

"Ah. Okay." Philip looked like he wanted to say something else, but stepped into his office and closed the door. Once inside, he stood for a moment in the center of the room, looking around.

There was a security feed into his office, but Margaret didn't notice the prince's mad Karate Kid moves inside his office.

* * *

 _To: dinoitall_

 _From: (private)_

 _Good morning, Shelby,_

 _I wondered if you could provide me with some more information on the Energems. I recall you telling me that there were ten of them and six had been found. Have you any leads on the final four?_

 _Please tell Ivan and the others hello. Perhaps someday soon I will return to California for a visit. I would like to see more of the museum and hear more of your quest. I am still in shock at all I have witnessed there._

 _Thank you,  
Prince Philip III of Zandar_

* * *

 _To: director_

 _From: (private)_

 _Director Morgan,_

 _I apologize for interrupting your presentation of the Treasures of Zandar. As compensation, please feel free to keep the collection an additional month. I have had the pleasure of meeting some of your staff and I believe the collection is in fine hands. Should you require anything further from myself do not hesitate to write._

 _Sincerely,  
Prince Philip III of Zandar_

* * *

 _RE: (private)_

 _From: dinoitall_

 _Hi Philip!_

 _It was really neat to get an email from you, though I'm still not sure how you managed to find mine!_

 _We're doing some checking on the final four energems. We know one, the Aqua Energem, is in someone's possession, as the Ankylozord is active (it actually almost stepped on me, but that's a whole other story). The remaining energems are the Graphite, Purple, and Silver. We're trying to determine which dinosaurs they've bonded to. Keeper (he's an alien that's been here since the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago-and you thought Ivan had a weird story!) remembers two of them bonding to the Plesiosaur and the Pachycephalosaurus, but we don't know about the final one._

 _How are things in Zandar? It would be awesome if you'd make it back to visit us!_

 _Shelby_

 _PS: Tyler and I are still sorry about impersonating you at the museum. Maybe when you come back to the States you could bring your wife with you!_

* * *

Philip nearly spit his coffee on his keyboard at Shelby's post script on his computer.

It would be impossible for him to bring Anna with him as he hadn't seen her in the four days he'd been back in the country. He was sure the press was having a field day, but he hadn't seen any news on the computer, paper or television. His computer search history was filled with references to the two dinosaurs that Shelby had mentioned in her email.

Dinosaurs were fascinating. Had he not been so obsessed with Sir Ivan's story as a child he might have easily gotten into dinosaurs. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, his mind racing with thoughts of colored gems and giant dinosaurs...

* * *

 _The Rangers need help. The monstrous form facing them has proven to be too much. Suddenly, a blast of laser fire knocks it back. A figure enters the fray, dressed in a solid color uniform. He lands a kick to the center of the monster, then follows it up with a punch to the face. As the others stare in wonder, the monster explodes in a shower of spark and flame._

 _He turns as the remains smolder behind him. He reaches up to take off his helmet and reveals-_

"Philip!"

Philip jerked awake and blinked several times to clear his vision. _Jet lag must have caught up_ , he thought. He realized he'd been asleep with his head on his desk. It was dark. He looked up in the glow of the still-on television to see Annabeth standing in front of him. He was pretty sure the top she was wearing was new, and no doubt the jeans she was wearing cost a fortune and were bought specifically to get her photo in the tabloids. "Anna. Hello. I didn't hear you come in," he said.

"Nice to see you too," she responded. "How was your trip to the US? Did you bring back my tiara?"

He shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. "No. The collection will remain in California for another month."

"After the hell you raised to bring it back?" Anna asked him, her voice rising. "And my father losing his job for suggesting the same thing?"

 _Here we go_. "The difference in the situation being that the first time, it was done without my knowledge and against my explicit instruction," Philip informed her, as if trying to explain patiently to a small child.

"And the fact that the Stone of Zandar was stolen while it was in the care of the museum?" Anna shot back.

"It was recovered," Philip pointed out. "And would not have been stolen in the first place if the exhibit had returned when I _ordered_ it to be." He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I did not want our first conversation to be a fight," he told her honestly.

"Haven't you heard?" Anna pointed out. "That's all we're good for."

Philip leaned forward. "Perhaps you are right about that," he admitted.

It clearly wasn't the response Anna had been going for. "What did you say?" she asked him.

"What I should have said months ago," Philip said. "Anna, it's obvious that something isn't working between us."

"It's a fight," Anna shrugged. "Couples fight." She stepped up to his desk and leaned over it so she was almost in his face. "But then they make up and move on."

He could hear what she was suggesting, and her posture was definitely encouraging it. Philip sighed. "Anna, I just got back from a one-day trip to the US and I'm afraid jet lag has gotten the best of me." He looked up at her. "Perhaps tomorrow when I am in better shape."

Her eyes flashed. "That's not likely," she hissed at him, standing up and stalking from the office.

Philip was too tired to try to reason with her. The moment after the door closed, he was asleep again.

* * *

Sunlight was streaming in his office window when he woke up the next morning, stiff and sore from sleeping on his desk. He straightened up and looked around. The time on the television news ticker was reading nine AM.

 _It's a new day_. Hopefully, one day in which to start things off on a better foot. The first thing he did was buzz Margaret, who was faithfully at her desk.

"Good morning, sire," she said, sounding chipper.

"Good morning," he said. "Can you please give me my agenda for the day? And, do you know if Annabeth is in the building?"

"I'll bring your daily agenda shortly," Margaret replied. "And…I don't believe Princess Annabeth is in the palace, no. I'm not sure if she even slept here last night."

 _Probably cursing my name with her father._ "That's fine, thank you." Philip clicked off and leaned back. He opened his laptop to see a long list of waiting emails. He answered a few, deleted most, and then one from S. Watkins caught his eye, and he clicked on the unread email from Shelby. He grinned as he read it. The young woman was extremely thorough, offering a wealth of information on the possible territory of the two known dinosaurs that were holding the energems.

Amazingly, the Pachysaur, as Shelby was calling it for short, had resided on the part of the earth prior to the meteor that slammed into Mexico 65 million years ago that happened to contain at least part of Zandar. Philip forwarded the email on to Doctor George Jameson who was the chief archaeologist for the country of Zandar with the information marked high importance. He implied that it would be to the Archaeological Society's best interest if he should find something.

It would be even more to his own if Dr. Jameson did.

The next thing he did was get Margaret on the horn. "Could you get me a list of the top martial arts instructors in a twenty-mile radius?" he asked her.

She sounded confused even as she answered she would. He hung up, his mind racing. If one of the energems was indeed within Zandarian borders, he wanted to be ready.

* * *

Weeks dragged by. Philip's emails with Shelby became few and far between. Apparently, finding a dinosaur fossil in Zandar wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. Shelby offered him several suggestions as to habitat and location and Philip conferred with Dr. Jameson, who agreed with Philip's 'anonymous source.' But the searching was slow going.

Philip had begun his training with some simple kickboxing. He'd never been particularly athletic, and so Margaret had also needed to find him a personal trainer. He was sore, and tired and frustrated. The old Philip had come through a few times as he'd thrown a water bottle and a couple of weights across the room. He'd thought of his mother, and how she wouldn't approve of his attitude. How proud she'd be if he would become a Ranger. He'd apologized profusely to his trainer and his instructor and they'd both noticed a change in his attitude, at least a little.

It wasn't helping that he'd seen Anna a grand total of three times in the past month. Each time it was her moving things from their bedroom out of the palace. The press kept trying for the story, kept speculating, and Anna wasn't making it a secret that she was moving out.

He hadn't expected to see her that evening as he was sitting in the bedroom on the bed, studying security plans for a public appearance at the new nature preserve. The door had burst open, and she stopped short, catching him on the bed. He peered over the top of his reading glasses.

"Hello, Annabeth," he said quietly.

"Hi," she said shortly, and walked in front of him heading for the walk in closet.

He sighed, reaching under the stack of security briefs and pulling out a second manila envelope. "I have something for you," he said, leaning forward and tossing the envelope at the edge of the bed.

She came out of the closet, an armful of designer jeans in her hand. She frowned at him and he nodded to the envelope. Her eyes narrowed.

Annabeth tossed the jeans on the floor and reached for the envelope. Philip reached over and muted the television, waiting for her reaction.

The Princess of Zandar opened the envelope and perused the contents inside. Philip had the papers memorized…and signed.

Annabeth looked up so fast his head spun. He braced for the tirade. To his surprise, she said, "Give me your pen."

He frowned. "I beg your pardon?" It wasn't what he'd been expecting.

Annabeth shrugged. "Let's face it," she told him. "We were pretty much divorced already," she said. "I don't know where your head has been lately, but it hasn't been on us. Or our marriage."

 _She was trying to make this his fault_. He was seething. "And yours has been in your credit card and fabric samples," he shot back. "You are correct that we were pretty much separated anyway. The press has been speculating about it for months."

"Did you meet someone?" she asked him. "Is that why you went to the US?"

"What?" Philip frowned. "Of course not!"

She shrugged. "I just don't understand how you could have gone to the States being so upset with my father for the exhibit, but then you go to retrieve it and it _stays there_!" She looked at him. "You clearly were distracted by something over there."

 _Six Power Rangers and a Gold Energem._ "I can promise you it wasn't a woman," he finally said. "I had hoped we could reconnect upon my return, but as you've been nonexistent in my life, we may as well make it official." He was tired of this conversation.

To his surprise, Annabeth smiled. It wasn't a _nice_ smile, but a cold, calculating one. "Sounds good to me," she said. "I will truly enjoy seeing how you play this out in the press." She signed her name with a flourish and tossed the pen at him. Had he not moved, it would have hit him between the eyes. Then, she picked her jeans up off the floor and left the room. As an afterthought, she stopped in the doorway. Her back was to Philip so he couldn't see what she was doing, but the next thing, something flew past his head and bounced off the headboard. The door slammed off to his right as he picked up Annabeth's wedding ring off the pillow.

He couldn't help but chuckle, despite it all. _Well. That went well._


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN:**

Dr. George Jameson was getting desperate. Almost two months of searching and he'd come up with nothing. Prince Philip's patience was waning and so was his funding. He wiped his brow with his handkerchief as he surveyed their dig site. Twenty-five university students were knee-deep in the ground searching for any sign of a Pachycephalosaurus. It was the largest dig he'd ever been a part of _anywhere_ , including his time in Germany as a university student himself.

It was unfortunate that nothing was coming of it. He might have been more excited about it if it was.

The ground rumbled beneath his feet and he reached over to steady a research text flipped open to information on the dinosaur in question. Below him, in a four by six hole, Elisa Drummond held onto her shovel as the small quake passed. "Earthquake?" she asked the doctor, looking concerned.

Jameson shook his head and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "They are digging at the quarry over the hill," he explained. "There is a large limestone deposit there," he added. He smiled shortly at the young woman's nervousness. "Don't worry, my dear, we're far enough away we're not in danger."

Then, from the quarry, shouts. They sounded urgent. _Perhaps I spoke too soon._ Jameson's brow furrowed and he turned to ascend the hill, his boots digging into the soft dirt. Atop the hill, he surveyed the south end of the quarry. Below him about a hundred feet, several workers were gathered around something in the soil-pointing and gesturing.

 _It couldn't be._ Jameson yelled over his shoulder that Elisa was in charge as he half ran, half skidded down the hill into the quarry, awkwardly climbing the security fence and the notices that warned against high explosives.

"What did you find?" he demanded. At the workers' startled expressions, he added, "On the order of Prince Philip I demand you tell me what is going on!"

He had no clout with Philip, but they didn't need to know that. Finally, one man pointed, and Jameson shoved his way through the group.

The image was drilled into his head from months of work. There was no mistaking the outline of a Pachycephalosaurus skull. And in the skull, something silver glinted at him.

His knees sagged. _The find of a lifetime_. Then, to business. He stood up and snapped a finger at the man closest to him. "You. I need a shovel and a way to get this out of here." Outside, he was collected and calm, but inside, he was bouncing up and down. "I also need a truck."

* * *

"Attack Prince." The voice was low and monotone, emotionless. Across the room, Philip took a breath, crouched defensively, his blue eyes narrowed at the attacker. He was surprisingly calm. Then, the attacker lashed out, a white metal hand thrusting toward his face. Philip threw up a hand and knocked it sideways, then turned and planted a foot squarely in the center of the chest. As his attacker lurched toward him again, Philip spun to his left and lashed out backwards with his foot, this time, catching the side of his attacker's head.

There was a beeping sound. Philip glanced up as his attacker went motionless. Across the room, someone started clapping, and Philip looked up to see his personal instructor applauding him. Philip ran a hand over his face and smiled. He tapped the six-foot-tall white and silver robot he'd been fighting on the shoulder, and pointed at his instructor. "Nice moves," he complimented him. His instructor smirked back, pleased that at least this time, Philip had managed to stay on his feet for the entire workout. In his hands, he held the control box for the GBO robot. It was some Japanese invention; he wasn't sure what the initials stood for. Philip had decided it stood for "Good Boxer."

 _My ranger friends will be impressed_ , Philip thought. At least something good was coming of the eternal wait to find an energem. He could now handle himself in a fight.

He waved his instructor from his office and sat on the corner of his desk, taking a sip of water. He wasn't breathing nearly as hard as he had the first few weeks of his new workout regimen. People on his staff had noticed changes in him. He was happier. He looked healthier. He'd had a bit of a royal paunch that was now being replaced by more muscle. He seemed more confident, both in himself and his position.

 _Mother would be proud_ , he thought. _At least, I hope so._

His office door burst open and he jerked out of his thoughts as Margaret came striding into the room. She never came in without knocking first, so this was a first. "Margaret?" Philip asked in alarm. "What-"

"Your Highness, they may have found the fossil you were searching for," she told him, her eyes sparkling. She had fielded most of the communication between the two offices, and so she was well aware of Philip's growing interest in dinosaurs. Behind her, Dr. George Jameson and another man were coming in, wheeling a silver cart between them. Atop it sat a giant crate. The seal of the archaeological department was stamped on the side.

Philip's eyes lit up. He looked at Dr. Jameson for confirmation and the older man nodded.

 _He found it. My God, he found it!_ "Everyone, please leave," he commanded authoritatively. Margaret shooed the men from the room, leaving him alone in the room with the crate. He found a crowbar on the bottom shelf of the cart and took it to a corner, working on prying the lid off the container. It took a little bit, but after a few minutes he'd popped it off and set it aside. Then, he peered inside.

The fossilized head was situated sideways inside, packed in straw to keep it from bouncing around. He pushed the straw around until he could see most of the skull of the Pachycephalosaurus. He ran a hand over it, slowly. In the back near the joint where the jaw met the rest of the skull, something silvery-gray glinted in the light streaming through the windows. He located a chisel on the cart, and carefully pried it out until it landed in his hand. The stone was about three inches long. Either end appeared capped with a mercurial-looking metal, but the middle of it reminded him of a lava lamp, silvery bits of quartz or something mixed in with a darker metal that almost looked like pencil lead.

In short, it bore a striking resemblance to the Gold Energem from months ago, except this one was a darker gray. "Yes!" he exulted, closing his hand around the gem triumphantly.

Margaret heard him all the way out in the office. She popped on the intercom. "Sire, is everything all right?" she asked him.

Philip winced. He hadn't meant to yell so loudly. Grimacing, he went to his desk and pressed the intercom. "Yes, Margaret, everything is fine," he promised her. He let go of the button and stepped back in front of his desk. He held the gem at eye level, mesmerized by the swirling gray color. "I too shall make the kingdom proud," he said, thinking of Ivan. _For mother, for father…and for everyone._ With that, he thrust the gem out in front of him much as he'd seen the Rangers do in California.

"Energize!"

He waited. Nothing happened.

"Unleash the power!"

The gem glinted silently back at him. Philip blinked and looked down. He was still in his workout clothes. Nothing was happening.

"Why?" he demanded at the gem.

The gem, of course, didn't respond.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** **Poor Philip, the struggle is real.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer : I don't own the characters, they belong to Saban. If I did we'd have hour-long episodes so we could have some more Aqua and Graphite rangers in the mix.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven**

The knocking on his door became fairly insistent, and Philip groaned as he rolled over to look at the clock. It was eight AM. His head hurt. In an embarrassing revert to his younger self, after taking the frustration of the faulty energem out on the G-BO robot, Philip had retreated to his room, locked the door, and consumed nearly an entire case of a German lager.

Thoughts had raced through his dreams. _Why didn't the energem work? What is wrong with it? What is wrong with_ me _?_ The gem sat next to his bed, glittering in the early morning sunlight streaming in through his window. The twinkling gem was taunting him. The answer was _there_ , Philip knew. He just didn't know _what_ the answer was or _how_ he was going to find it.

The pounding on his door was practically a bass line, and he snarled, "Whoever the hell is banging on that door had better have adequate reason or they will find themselves _unemployed_!"

The knocking ceased. Then, the offender spoke. "Prince Philip, it's Margaret. You need to wake up, sire. There is something you need to see."

He ran a hand over his face, falling back on the pillow. The last thing he wanted to do was alienate Margaret, she'd been one of the few people willing to put up with him. Plus, he wasn't entirely sure he could run the country without Margaret checking his work. Slowly, he got to his feet and walked over to the door and popped the lock. He had barely stepped back when Margaret, dressed for the work day, came striding urgently into the room. She barely gave his pajama pants and bare chest a glance as she reached over and turned on his television.

He looked up at the newscaster and read the superscript. "I see news of my divorce is out," he sighed. He continued watching, and snickered. "Another woman? I can tell you who leaked the information," he rolled his eyes. "That woman is an absolute horror."

"The papers are asking for a statement," Margaret told him. "My phone has been ringing off the hook since I arrived at the office."

"Please don't quote what I just said," Philip responded, running a hand through his face. "Good God. This on top of everything else…"

"Everything else?" Margaret repeated.

"Never mind." Philip took a breath and let it out, pacing. _Damage control_ … "Margaret, please draw up a statement. Use irreconcilable differences if you must. Do not address the….other woman."

Margaret bit her lip. "Prince Philip…." He looked at her, his blue eyes blazing. "There….there _isn't_ another woman, is there?" she asked.

His voice was firm. "Absolutely not. I was in the States on business. Nothing more. And you can put that in the statement too."

She nodded. She believed him. She'd gotten quite adept over the years at telling if he was lying or not. He wasn't. But he definitely didn't want to talk about it either, and that was just fine with her.

Philip waited until Margaret had left the room before throwing himself facedown on the bed with a groan. The next few weeks were going to be dreadful. The press was relentless. And no doubt Annabeth would be feeding them any lie she could come up with, and her father would get involved.

 _You've made a formidable enemy, Philip_ , he thought to himself. The thought of dealing with everything was overwhelming.

Philip decided to do what he did best. He rolled off the bed, snatching the Energem in his hand. He reached for his mobile and called Margaret to book him a plane ticket to California.

* * *

The press followed him to the airport, but Margaret was nothing if not effective at her job. She quickly leaked to the press that Philip was heading to the airport for reasons unknown, and while the press enthusiastically ate that up, a helicopter landed on the grounds of the castle. Two people got on. The helicopter was used by a few of the sightseeing companies in Zandar, so no one paid it much attention as it flew over the castle in a loop before heading south to the airport.

* * *

The sight of the Amber Beach museum was somewhat comforting to Philip as he and his trainer, an affable gent by the name of Thomas, pulled up in a simple blue rental vehicle. "I'll just be a moment," Philip told him, and Thomas nodded as Philip closed the door and he went to put the vehicle in parking.

Thomas Leary was 50, but one of the most sought-after personal trainers in Zandar. Some had likened him to the Chuck Norris of Zandar, in that not only was he successful in the entertainment business as a stunt coordinator, he also had a fitness empire based on a combination of martial arts including Muay Thai and Judo. Thinking that working for the Prince of Zandar would be a good move both personally and financially, he'd agreed to work with the young Prince, whom he'd always seen as sort of an arrogant man.

Training him had opened up a whole other side that Thomas didn't realize. Philip was hard working and very dedicated. He took instruction well. There had been a few moments right at the start where the spoiled prince had come through, but Thomas had been pleased to see him develop both physically and mentally into a stronger person. Philip had only truly confided in two people his entire life-his mother and Margaret, his assistant. But he was starting to open up more to Thomas the more they worked. He knew the Prince wasn't happy in his marriage, and though Thomas was single, he tried to sympathize. More importantly, he knew Philip was less than pleased with his image in the media, and Thomas could see him working hard to be a better person.

He wasn't sure why Philip had asked him to come along to the States, but as he'd never been, he wasn't going to complain. He figured Philip wanted to keep up his training. Plus, as Thomas had never really liked the Princess Annabeth, he figured if Philip needed to hit something to take his aggression out, he understood.

He parked the car and jogged into the museum. Philip hadn't brought any security with, and Thomas was the closest thing he had. If something happened to Philip he'd never forgive himself. He paid the entrance fee and wandered around, admiring the giant reconstructed Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in the main hall. Down the hall, he could hear chanting, and his curiosity got the best of him. He followed the sounds and almost ran over Philip, who was leaning in the doorway, a small smile on his face. The prince caught him staring and pointed up to the front, his grin growing wider.

Onstage were about twenty children, in traditional dress (some United States culture or some other country's, Thomas had no idea). But as soon as they started chanting again, he figured it out. An avid football fan, Thomas easily picked up the Haka chant from New Zealand. He explained that to Philip, who nodded in interest.

Philip watched the children. He knew some of what it was like to be put in the spotlight and he was very impressed by the way they held themselves. There was one little girl in the front row who kept staring at something in the front row of the audience, yet managing to keep time.

As the chant completed, the audience applauded, including Philip and Thomas. Philip noticed Miss Morgan, the museum director (whom he had not met in person, merely yelled at the first time around) get up to introduce them. When she finished, there was a great commotion from the front row, and several people stood. Philip smiled as he recognized two of them- Tyler and Chase, both Power Rangers and also employees of the museum. As the crowd started to disperse, he pulled Thomas around the corner. "I'd rather keep my presence here unnoticed," he said. He glanced across the aisle and smiled at the Dino Bite Café. "But I know somewhere we can hide in plain sight-and get something to eat."

"I haven't eaten since we left-wasn't about to try airplane food," Thomas agreed easily. "Lead the way. You seem as though you've been before."

Philip glanced up in surprise. "You don't watch the news, do you Thomas?"

Thomas shook his head. "Too much doom and gloom. I'd rather focus on a football pitch."

Philip grinned.

* * *

The food was interesting, and the people watching was fascinating. The entire group from New Zealand was in the café; twenty youngsters drinking soda and eating a Bronto Burger, something Philip found to be really, really good! Most of them had traded their Maori costume for shorts and t-shirts to follow the California weather. Philip spotted Tyler and Shelby working the grill at the back of the café, and Koda doing dishes. It was so odd to see the teenagers he knew to be Power Rangers doing something as mundane as serving burgers and fries to children. Fierce warriors on the battlefield, and apparently just as fierce in their day jobs, Philip noted with a smile. He wondered where Koda was. Koda had saved his life the last time he was in California and he'd never properly said thank you.

Chase was speaking to one of the girls-the girl in the front row onstage- _ah, and now it makes sense._ His accent from the last time Philip had spoken with him, the way she kept looking at the front row… _sister, perhaps?_ Then, Tyler caught Chase's eye from the kitchen, and nodded subtly to the kitchen's back entrance.

Philip's eyes narrowed. _Something is going on._ _Perhaps the Energems only react in times of need?_ If they were going to go fight something…He looked at Thomas. "We need to go."

"We do?" Thomas was mid-bite into his burger.

Philip nodded. Thomas looked at him with interest. Philip's hand had gone to his suit pocket, and his eyes were tracking something in the back of the room. "Lead the way," Thomas gestured, tossing a few bills on the table to pay for their meal.

The two of them raced for their rental car, and followed a red, American-made Jeep out into the streets.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

"Here!" Philip yelled a few minutes later, and Thomas hit the brakes as the red Jeep swerved to a stop in the empty parking lot of some kind of sports stadium. Philip climbed out of the rental, and watched the group in the Jeep take off.

A moment later, they were replaced by five figures in helmets and some type of color-coded uniform. "What the-" Thomas's jaw hit the ground.

"Those are the famed Power Rangers," Philip explained. The lead-colored Energem in his pocket felt heavier, and he wished he could join them. They were joined in a moment by a figure in gold, _Sir Ivan of Zandar_ , Philip thought in awe (the feeling of seeing one's childhood hero in action), and together, they turned to face their enemy.

Philip's blood ran cold. He recognized it. _Fury_. The lion-like beast had tried to kill him and take the gold energem that was now in Ivan's possession. Koda had saved him from the beast. _I want a piece of him_. Turning to Thomas, he said, "Get the robot out of the trunk."

Thomas frowned. "Sir-"

"Just do it!"

* * *

The fight was going pretty well, Tyler thought, as he handled two of the Vivix foot soldiers Fury summoned out of nowhere. He looked over, and saw Chase beating two of them with prejudice, annoyed that he had to lose out on spending time with his little sister to fighting them.

Something walked by him and punched a Vivix in the stomach, then threw an elbow into its' face. "What _is_ that thing?" Tyler gaped, staring. Chase flipped a Vivix onto its' back and looked at it. It was…a robot. Shiny white, with black and blue markings.

"It trying to help," Koda said, using his caveman strength to knock two Vivix over in a clothesline. Chase watched it as it awkwardly walked into the middle of Riley and a group of three Vivix. It tried to punch one, lost footing, and tumbled into Riley.

"Well, it's not doing a very good job!" Riley groused as the bot landed on top of him. Chase ran over to help him up, plowing his foot into a Vivix on the way.

"Ignore it! Go after Fury!" Tyler barked. He and Shelby turned to face the aforementioned monster, but Fury beat a hasty retreat. The robot, meanwhile, continued to punch and kick its' way through the Vivix that were still hanging around, saying, "Attack!" in a monotone voice.

In a flash, the Vivix disappeared. "Where they go?" Koda wondered.

"Don't know, don't really care," Chase said. "I have to get back, I can't disappoint Chloe."

"It okay," Koda reassured him, and Chase took off at a dead sprint, locating his skateboard and rolling away.

Koda turned to watch the robot run into a wall. "Error," it announced. "Error."

Koda frowned. "Think it is broken," he observed.

"Where'd it come from?" Tyler wondered.

"It belongs to me." Philip stepped out from behind a pillar, the control box in his hand. He was frowning a little at the robot, but smiling at the others.

"Prince Philip?" Tyler asked, in shock. He was the _last_ person Tyler expected to be standing there.

"Your Highness!" Shelby said, surprised. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Well I stopped by the museum to say hello, but when I saw you were in trouble, I decided to lend a hand. With my robot." _And hopefully kick start an Energem_. That part hadn't happened. The gem still sat inert in his pocket.

"This fighting machine…yours?" Koda watched it as it ran into the wall again, then turned and tried to walk away, nearly running him over.

"It fought well, did it not?" Philip asked. He tried to ignore the fact that the robot was walking away-even as Philip was trying to use the controls to bring it back.

"Uh, it was…." Ivan began, but then remembered who he was talking to. He bowed low. "Not that helpful," Ivan admitted. "With apologies, sire."

"A machine just can't react the way a human Ranger can," Tyler jumped in.

"To be honest, it kinda got in the way," Shelby cut in. She bit her lip.

"I see. I'm sorry," Philip understood what they were saying. "Please don't think you have to sugarcoat your thoughts around me."

"It's OK," Shelby assured him. "We know you were just trying to help-"

"The robot!" Riley gasped, and took off. Philip saw the Green Ranger taking off after G-BO, who was in the hands of several Vivix, who disappeared instantly in a puff of green smoke. _That cannot be good,_ Philip grimaced. He had come to help. _I may have made things much worse._

* * *

The group returned to the museum and the café, where Philip tried to calm down a still-in-shock Thomas. "I promise you, I was in _no_ danger," he reassured him. He smiled and put a hand on Koda's shoulder, who was sitting next to him. "This man would have saved me yet again, I am sure."

"I would have," Koda replied proudly. "Robot not have…piece of junk." Thomas frowned at that, and Philip grimaced.

"Speaking of pieces of junk," Philip began, plucking the Energem from his pocket. "I don't suppose you know where the 'on' switch is for this, would you?"

"Graphite Energem!" Koda breathed. "Where you find it?"

 _The Graphite Energem_ , Philip sounded it out. _Amazing._ "Back home, in Zandar," Philip admitted. "I wanted to show you all first." _And get away from some bad press, but really, what is more important?_ "However, it doesn't appear to be working."

"Broken?" Koda wondered.

"I'm beginning to think so," Philip rolled his eyes. "Tell me, Koda…how did _yours_ …work?"

"Energem bonded to me," Koda said proudly. Miss Morgan had tried to explain that word, bonded, to him before, but he didn't completely understand what it meant. "I save little brother from sabre tooth tiger. It chose me."

"Sabre tooth tiger? Wait just a minute-" Thomas trailed off. He shook his head. "I think I need a drink."

"Drinks up there," Koda pointed to the soda machine.

Thomas followed his hand, and shook his head. "Not what I meant, mate."

"Chose you." Philip processed that. "Why?"

Koda looked a little offended, and Philip realized what his tone must have sounded like. "I'm sorry, my friend. What I meant was, what was it about you that made it…choose you?"

Koda knew the answer to this one. He didn't understand 'bonded' but he understood this. "It believed I have good heart," he told Philip with a grin.

 _A good heart?_ Philip was tired of all the riddles. "I don't understand. How does one prove that…to a _gem_?"

Koda shrugged, his fingers playing with his energem. "Don't know," he said finally. "Energem…mysterious. Power Ranger must be worthy."

 _Worthy_. He thought about Koda saving his little brother. _Doing good._ He thought about his life. All the things he'd done as a child. All the things he'd done as a young adult. Storming into Amber Beach to take back the Gold Energem. Running away from Annabeth. _What could I possibly do that would make the gem think I am worthy?_

"Here's your bill," Shelby said, coming over to their table. "No rush or anything. Oh, Prince Philip-"

"Just Philip, please," he countered her. He reached for his wallet…and an idea struck him.

* * *

"Were you expecting anything?" Shelby asked Kendall Morgan the next morning as a FedEx Freight truck pulled up outside the loading dock. Riley came to join them. He whistled as they began offloading boxes.

"No," Kendall replied, thoroughly confused. She signed for the boxes, and Shelby popped the lid off the top of one. "That's a Pachysaur," she noted. Riley handed Kendall the packing slip and she studied it. "This is from the Archaeological Society of Zandar."

"Zandar?" Riley repeated. "Like, Prince Philip of Zandar?"

"He find Energem," Koda told them, coming up behind them in his work coveralls. "Graphite Energem."

"What?" Kendall's jaw dropped.

"That explains the Pachysaur fossil," Shelby stammered. "He must have found it in Zandar…I can't believe it worked!"

"What worked?" Kendall asked. Shelby blushed.

"Um…we might have been emailing back and forth…."

* * *

Tyler was clearing out the trash at table 10 in the café that afternoon when he noticed the _Amber Beach Times_ shoved into the far corner of the booth. He set down his tub with dirty dishes and fished the paper out. The first headline caught his eye: _Amber Beach Shelter Given Generous Donation_. As he read through it, his eyes widened. "Ivan, check this out!" Tyler called to the Gold Ranger, who was flirting with a table nearby. It took another yell but Ivan came over to see what Tyler wanted. Tyler held out the paper and Ivan scanned it. "It does not say who this mysterious benefactor was?" Ivan sounded confused. "Who would be that generous but not want their name in the paper?"

"Who do we know who has that kind of cash but would want to keep his name a secret?" Tyler countered.

"Prince Philip?" Ivan deduced, and Tyler nodded. "This is an incredible gift he has given this city," Ivan noted. "I wonder why he chooses to be anonymous?"

Tyler shook his head as he read the article. It also mentioned a second donation to a local hospital of fifty new wheelchairs. "I don't know," he admitted. "I'm not even sure why he's here in the States, but somehow I don't think it's just to give his money away."

 _Philip is here for a reason_ , he thought. _Maybe it's time we find out that reason._

* * *

Philip lashed out at Thomas with more gusto than usual. "Oof," Thomas groaned, shaking his hand. "Nice hit, Your Highness," he praised.

"I don't know what more I can do!" Philip groused, driving an elbow into the second pad on Thomas's hand.

"I don't know if I completely understand all this, yeah?" Thomas said, adjusting his stance so Philip had to reach higher for the kick. "You're really thinking that if you pull enough Robin Hood stunts this thing'll….pick you to be one of those Power Ranger guys?"

"Exactly," Philip panted. He spun around, his foot landing square on target. "I need to get out," he said. "I'm going to go for a walk."

"I'll join you," Thomas said, instantly shedding the pads. Philip raised an eyebrow. "Hey, you decided to skip continent without your security detail. Martin would murder me in my sleep if something happened to you over here."

"Perhaps Annabeth and her father would cheer," Philip muttered as he shed his longsleeve shirt for a gray t-shirt.

"She didn't deserve you, Philip," Thomas said after a moment. Philip jerked and looked over at him. Thomas continued putting their training equipment away as he continued. "Really," he continued. "I've seen what a good guy you are. The good you're trying to do. All she cared about was the image, Your Highness. She never cared about you or doing any of the _good_ that should come with being a Princess." He snapped the case shut and looked over at him. "You're better than that, and you deserve more."

Philip was silent for a moment, and Thomas took that as a bad sign. "I'm sorry," he backtracked. "Overstepped."

"No, it's not that," Philip replied quickly. "It's just…no one has thought that highly of me since my mother died," he admitted.

"It'll catch on," Thomas said with a wink. "Let's head out, yeah? There's a little park a few blocks down, we can go out, grab some fresh air."

* * *

A familiar figure caught some serious air on a skateboard, and Philip recognized Chase Randall instantly. He stepped over onto the concrete pad, Thomas on his heels. "Chase!" Philip waved, and Chase nodded back. "Philip, hey mate. What brings you here?"

Before Philip could answer, a little girl came running over. "I'm ready!" she announced, snapping her helmet over her ponytail. "Can you teach me to do a backside 360?"

Chase grinned. "Yeah, Chloe, absolutely. That's lesson two. Lesson one," he said, picking her up under the armpits, "is feet on board." She giggled. Chase looked up. "Philip, this is my little sister Chloe."

"A pleasure," Philip greeted her. "Your performance at the museum was excellent." Chloe blushed.

"Here, Chloe, why don't you try a lap or two on the flat part here, get used to the board," Chase instructed. Chloe kicked off, wobbling. "Heard you found an Energem," Chase noted once she was out of earshot. "Congratulations."

"Those definitely are not in order," Philip replied. He pulled it out of his pants pocket. "It's just a gemstone." Off Chase's confused look, he explained, "It hasn't bonded with me yet." He sighed. "I don't think it thinks I'm worthy of it."

Chase's morpher sounded, and he glanced around to see Chloe headed back their direction. "No…not now," Chase frowned. Shelby's voice came over the comm, and Chase sighed as Chloe came back to them. The board started to slide out from under her, and Philip caught her arm to keep her from falling. "Thanks!" she said brightly. "Hey Chase, I think I did really good! Can we-"

She trailed off at her older brother's face. "Work again?" she asked him, and Philip could hear the disappointment in her voice.

"I'm sorry. Look, I'll be back as soon as I can." Chase frowned.

"I'll stay here with her," Thomas volunteered, noting the look on Philip's face. It was the same one he'd had at the museum when they'd followed the Rangers to the stadium. Chase frowned. "And you are, exactly?"

"This is Thomas. He's…great with kids. Very trustworthy," Philip vouched for him. "Chase, perhaps I can be of some assistance at your….work."

The two of them speedwalked away. Chase swore under his breath. "I'm telling you, Philip, right now, I don't feel like I'm worthy either," he bit out. "She's here for three days on this exchange with her dance group and I've had to dodge her everytime because of this stupid thing." His fingers gripped the black energem tightly. "Can't even tell her why."

"I'm sure if she knew, she'd understand your sacrifice," Philip told him.

"I doubt it," Chase said. "Come on, let's go." They picked up the pace.

* * *

Chloe Randall set her helmet down in frustration. "It's not fair! His stupid job. Everytime we try to do something he's got to go to work!" Tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sure if it wasn't important they wouldn't call," Thomas tried, handing Chloe her bookbag. "Though I can't imagine anything being more important than you."

"You're really nice," Chloe admitted. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she pulled out a giftwrapped square from her bag. "Chase's present!" She stood up. "I have to go give this to him."

"But he-"

Chloe looked up at him. "You said it, nothing is more important than me. Work can wait!" With that, she took off, following the direction Philip and Chase went.

Thomas groaned. "Great with kids, huh?" he echoed Philip's words. "Thanks a lot, Your Highness."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Not my characters. If they were, Jarred Blakiston would get more than a group hug and a walk-on line.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Philip and Chase arrived at an outdoor food court in time to see Tyler and the other rangers diving for cover from- "Fury," Philip hissed.

"I got interrupted for this clown?" Chase yelled. "Come on!"

As if Fury had heard him, he fired in their direction. Chase and Philip both dove for cover. The energy wave sent Philip flying into a decorative stone fountain. He hit it _hard_ and rolled. As he climbed back to his feet, he realized something terrifying.

"The Graphite Energem!" he gasped, feeling his pocket. "It's not here!" And then, something else. Heading the Rangers' general direction was- "My robot? Impossible!"

"That hunk of steel doesn't stand a chance against us!" Tyler yelled at Fury. "And neither do you!" With that proclamation, the six rangers roared into battle, unmorphed. Philip managed to take cover behind a few tables, and could only watch. _I wanted to help them on their mission…and I can't even hold onto the gem!_ He watched Riley and Tyler doubleteam Fury and felt a pang of anger. _That monster nearly killed me and my security team the last time I was here. He imprisoned Sir Ivan. He nearly killed Prince Colin._ It was personal. Colin had been an ancestor. Ivan had been his protector. Ivan was using the Gold Energem to continue his mission. And Philip….Philip was helpless to do anything.

* * *

"Hey, kid!" He heard Thomas's voice calling out to someone just as he saw Chase's sister come into view. She'd spotted Chase on the ground and was rushing in to help. Unfortunately, two Vivix saw her at the same time. "Chloe, _stop_!" Chase yelled. There was a burst of light and energy, and then Chase was on his back, moaning in pain, clutching his arm.

"She's important to the black ranger!" Philip heard Fury yell. "Get the girl!"

Philip saw Thomas try to rush in and end up with his hands full of Vivix. Everyone else was fighting something. That left…

 _Me. It has to be me._ Chloe Randall was in danger, and he was her only hope. If Fury got his hands on that little girl… He heard Chase cry Chloe's name, desperate now, as Fury threw Tyler out of the way and advanced her direction.

He remembered what he'd told Chase. _Sacrifice_. Energem or not, he wasn't about to let that monster hurt a little girl. Not if he could do something about it. He wasn't the same helpless prince he'd been the first time around.

With a yell, Philip burst from his hiding place and entered the battlefield. It gave him great pleasure to knock his robot out of the way with a good solid kick to its' head. He dodged a Vivix, and then, he was at Chloe's side. "Come with me!" he yelled, grabbing her hand. Chloe gripped it, and Philip pulled her to her feet and took off, shielding her from a blast of laser fire. He ran with her until they were a safe distance away. Seconds later, Chase met them, breathing heavily. He grabbed Chloe by the shoulders. "Oh God. Chloe! Are you okay?" He checked her over from head to toe. "You're okay?"

She nodded weakly. "Yeah," she said.

Thomas came over to meet them, and Philip nodded to him. He looked at Chase, who got the message. "Chloe, he's going to take you back to the museum."

"What about you?" she cried. "I don't want to leave you here!"

"I'll be fine, I swear," he promised her. "I need you to be safe first, all right?" When Chloe nodded, Thomas picked her up and Chase squeezed her hand. "I'll see you in a little while."

"Is that a promise?" she asked him.

Chase nodded. "Swear," he replied, and then Thomas was running away. Chase turned to Philip and engulfed him in a hug. "Thank you, thank you thank you, thank you," he breathed. "You have _no_ idea."

"I'm glad she's all right," Philip replied seriously. "I knew you could handle things but…you were busy, so…"

"No, I owe you one," Chase told him. "She almost _died_. If Fury had gotten his hands on her…." He shuddered. "Too bad that Energem doesn't seem to like you," he told Philip. "You seem pretty worthy of it to me."

Philip barely had time to register something small and gray flying toward him, before catching it in his outstretched hand. The force knocked him to his back on the grass, and he felt a burst of energy grip his entire body. He went rigid. He saw a burst of gray light before his eyes, and then Chase was helping him to his feet. "Congratulations, mate," Chase told him.

Philip felt…stronger. He looked down in his palm. The Graphite Energem glowed brightly. "It _chose_ me?" he said incredulously.

"Energem very smart," Koda said, coming over to him with a happy grin.

Something materialized in Philip's other hand, and he looked down to see the futuristic yellow pistol that the others used to morph in his fingers.

" _You?_ " The voice belonged to Fury. " _You're_ a Ranger?" Fury growled. Then, he smirked. "Not for long."

 _Finally_. Philip turned to Tyler. "Is it morphing time?" he demanded.

"You bet it is," Tyler told him.

"Follow our lead," Koda offered, but to his-and everyone else's surprise- Philip was already on it.

* * *

"Graphite Energem!" Philip thrust the gem out in front of him, staring directly into Fury's eyes. "Energize!" He dropped the gem into the chamber and spun the barrel. "Unleash the Power!" He pointed the gun straight up in the air, and pulled the trigger. Gray light engulfed him. Seconds later, Philip stood alongside the others, in a suit and helmet of dark gray. "Graphite Power Ranger!" he announced. He looked at Fury. "I have an eight hundred year old score to settle for my family," he growled.

"You'll have to pass a little test first!" Fury replied, stepping aside to let the G-BO robot charge.

Philip sighed. "Somehow I figured this wasn't going to be easy," he said, and then, the robot was on him.

"Prince Philip!" he heard Ivan call, but Philip waved him away. "I've got this," he told him.

"If you should need me, Your Highness," Ivan told him, "you need but to call."

"Thank you, Sir Ivan, but I can handle this on my own," Philip replied. With that, he attacked the robot in force.

Ivan watched with interest. "Indeed you can, Sire," he agreed, and then turned, looking for Fury.

* * *

Philip ducked and rolled out of the way of one of the robot's punches. "This new power is great…but there's nothing worse than fighting your own creation," he lamented. "I brought you to Amber Beach," he told it, "and I'm going to take you out!" He powered a kick into the robot's chest, then followed up with a sweeping kick the robot jumped over. The robot fired at him and Philip flipped out of the way. "I never should've given you such long-lasting batteries!" _The battery pack. If I can remove it…_ Philip ran toward the robot and jumped, putting both hands on the robot's shoulders and vaulting over the top of him. He grabbed the battery pack with both hands and pulled. The robot twisted and reached backwards for him, throwing him to the ground.

"Attack Ranger," G-BO announced in monotone. It fired at him again, and Philip rolled out of the way. He came to his feet and advanced on the robot, using a sequence Thomas had taught him. He drove the robot back but it came at him again. "Attack Ranger."

Under his helmet, Philip rolled his eyes. "You already said that," he told it. A shadow loomed over their fight, and Philip gasped as he saw two giant Vivix above his head. One of them lashed out a foot, and he didn't see how it happened, but what he did see was Tyler, in his Red uniform, crash into a stack of cinder blocks and go down _hard_.

His morpher chimed on his belt, and Philip rolled away from G-BO long enough to answer it. To his surprise, he saw Miss Morgan. "You're the museum director," he realized. "You-"

"Yes, I know you've got the Graphite Energem," Miss Morgan's voice cut him off. "Tyler's been hurt, and the others need you to call your Zord."

"But how-"

"Just throw your Dino Charger. _Now_." Her tone left no room for argument. Philip clipped his morpher back on his belt and pulled out his Dino Charger. A small #8 was painted on the side. "Dino Charger…ready! Summon PachyZord!" He threw it up and into the air with every bit of strength he had left.

There was a pause. And then, a roar. He looked up, felt the ground rumble, and then a silver, black and gold Pachysaur ran over the top of him, swinging a long mace-like tail toward the two Vivix. "Whoa," Philip gasped. "That's _my_ Zord?" He grinned. "Amazing."

And then G-BO was on him and he didn't have time to be amazed anymore. "If my Zord can take on those creatures, I should be able to handle one simple robot." He turned to face the robot, who was coming at him again. "Graphite Power. Dino Punch!"

He didn't see how it happened, but with one final "Error," the G-BO robot exploded into a thousand pieces.

"You pack quite a punch," Tyler teased him as they came up to him. He was limping a little, but otherwise all right. Philip was amazed at how much damage the suits could protect from.

"And you meet your PachyZord," Koda said, putting a hand on Philip's shoulder.

"Indeed I have," Philip agreed. He turned to the others. "This is incredible!"

He'd done it. He'd proven himself worthy of the Energem. And the Power had never felt so good.

 _He'd_ never felt so good.

* * *

The next morning, Philip was together with the Rangers outside the museum. Thomas was sleeping in. Philip had bitten back a grin when Thomas said it had been too much for an old man to handle, and that Philip seemed like he could take care of himself. Now, he sat on a concrete bench and watched Chase attempt to teach Chloe to skateboard. He had to admit, Chloe could stand on the contraption much better than he probably could.

A van honked, and they looked up to see a woman gesturing to Chloe and tap her watch. "Oh…I have to go already?" Chloe said unhappily. She handed something to Chase. "Hurry, before I have to go. Open this."

Chase ripped the paper off. "It's plane tickets so you can come see me and Mum over Christmas!" Chloe said enthusiastically. "That way it won't be so long until I see you again!"

"Chloe, this might just be the best present I ever got," Chase told her. He picked her up and gave her a hug, then set her down. "Thank you." He glanced backwards at Philip. "And…you may have another thank you to get outta the way before you go?"

Chloe grinned. "Right!" She ran up to Philip and threw herself in his arms, catching him off guard. "Thank you for saving me, Philip," she told him.

Philip looked at the others, who were all smiling or nodding in approval. He hugged Chloe back. "You're most welcome," he told her. "You'd best get a move on, or your ride will leave without you!" Chloe let go and ran toward the van, Chase following her down. As the van drove off, Tyler and the others stood. "Let's give him a minute," Tyler suggested, and Philip followed him, Shelby, Koda and Riley around the corner of the museum. "Well, Philip, since you're one of us now, it's only fair that you get to see the top secret Ranger base!" Tyler grinned.

"Your base of operations is here at the museum?" Philip nodded. "Ingenious."

"It makes for a great cover story," Shelby agreed.

"And helps with the sudden interest in dinosaurs for everybody," Riley agreed.

Philip glanced around. "So how does one enter?"

Koda clapped him on the back. "Follow me!" he told him, as he climbed up a pile of boxes into a mock up of a giant T-Rex jaw. He positioned himself on the tongue, facing away from the group. Then, he yanked on one of the teeth and disappeared.

Ivan glanced at Philip's suit and tie. "Sire, if you do not choose to enter this way, there is a second-"

"Are you kidding, Sir Ivan?" Philip grinned, shedding his jacket and rolling up his sleeves. Without another word, he clambered to the top of the boxes and pulled the tooth. The floor opened below him and he slid down a short ways, landing on his feet inside the base. He had just moved out of the way when he was followed by Riley and the others. Koda was laughing. Standing next to Koda was Miss Morgan, and next to her-

"What is _that_?" Philip gaped. He barely registered the others coming to a stop behind him.

"This Keeper," Koda introduced the alien-looking creature. "He hide Energems in dinosaurs."

"Dinosaurs worthy of protecting the energems," Keeper spoke, coming up to Philip. "Very much like you, Prince Philip. Your courage in the face of danger allowed the Graphite Energem to see the real you."

 _If only the rest of the world could see that. "_ I wish I could stay here, with all of you."

"Royalty has its' own responsibilities," Shelby said knowingly.

Suddenly, Philip knew. He couldn't hide forever. It was time to return home to face the music. Deal with the bad press. _One mission at a time_. "I will keep the Graphite Energem safe," he promised them. "I leave the Graphite Chargers and the PachyZord in your care. If you _ever_ need my assistance, though," he continued, looking at all of them, "you have but to call. I will return."

"Just leave the robot in Zandar next time?" Chase suggested, and Philip grinned.

Philip looked around, memorizing every detail of the underground lab. "I will do that," he said. He frowned. "Now…if someone could kindly show me the exit? I'm assuming one doesn't have to climb back up the slide?"

* * *

The flight felt shorter this time. Perhaps it was because Philip wasn't exactly looking forward to what was waiting for him on the ground in Zandar. Next to him in first class, Thomas was looking out the window as they crossed from Germany into Zandar. "How you feeling, Philip?" he asked. He'd dropped the sir with the rental car. They'd been through too much together.

Philip sighed. "I don't know." He glanced over at Thomas. "But if I can rescue a little girl and bond with an energem, I can handle this."

He glanced down at the energem in his hand. It glowed back at him. "At least, I hope so."

* * *

 **Author's Note: This story is far from over. I'm planning on giving some insight into what Philip's done between this episode and the finale, and then full on into Dino Super Charge (Season 1 Part 1 of PRDSC comes out on Netflix next month! :).**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** **And now, here comes my little (I suppose AU though we don't know) foray into what Prince Philip III of Zandar was doing between "Rise of a Ranger" and "One More Energem."**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOURTEEN:**

The press swarmed the castle doors like flies to honey. Thomas kept up a ranting tirade against them as he helped escort Philip through, with Martin's help. Philip, for his part, kept his head low and his hand firmly gripped around the Energem in his pocket. _I refuse to lose it again._ Thomas managed to wrench open the door partway and Philip ducked inside the castle. In the halls, it was quiet, and Philip closed his eyes in relief.

"Prince Philip! You're back!" The voice belonged to Margaret and it was a welcome one. Philip gave his assistant a hug and she blinked in surprise. He glanced around the hall. _I'm home_. Then, he turned to Margaret. "All right. Fill me in."

She bit her lip. "Well, the press is having a field day, as you can see by the horde outside." She spit out the word 'horde' like it tasted bad, and Philip chuckled. "As to your…domestic situation…"

"Divorce, Margaret. Say it like it is," he told her wearily. "How many tabloids have decided I'm having an affair with Kate Middleton?"

"Two," Margaret reported. "Several are convinced you're dating an actress in Hollywood, which is why you were in America."

Philip looked over at Thomas and Martin with a smile. "If they only knew the truth," he said quietly. "Margaret, if you would, find me a copy of any of the press I've received since the news broke and put it on my desk." He pushed up his sleeves. "It's time I returned to my duties as Prince of Zandar, I think."

"Until the next monster appears in California," muttered Thomas under his breath.

Philip grinned. "Indeed." He nodded to Martin and Margaret. "I'll be in my office." With the grin still on his face, he went into his office and closed the door behind him.

Margaret stared at the door for a few moments, then turned to Thomas. "What _happened_ while you were gone?" she asked him in disbelief.

Thomas only grinned. "You know, I think he found his sense of purpose," he offered. "Our prince is quite the young man. I'll be by tomorrow morning for his lesson." With a nod to both Martin and Margaret he turned and walked away.

Martin looked at Margaret. "Are you planning on telling Philip about the-"

"Not yet," Margaret cut in. She gestured to the big oak doors. "I've never seen him like this. He's so happy. Let's wait."

Martin shook his head. "I don't like it."

"Neither do I, Martin, but I don't want to ruin this either," Margaret told him. She sat down at her desk. "Give him a day or two."

"When did you start giving me orders as head of security?" Martin asked her, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled. "You can veto me if you like," she offered. "But I have a feeling that you feel the same way. Martin, you've been like his father since he died…Philip's so happy right now…do you really want to tell him about what's been happening?"

Martin's eyes trailed to the doors. Then, he sighed. "All right, I'll leave it for today. Tomorrow…tomorrow he has to know."

* * *

Inside his office, Philip tugged the Graphite Energem out of his pocket and studied it. He felt a slight electric buzz run from his fingers down his arm. _Incredible_. He sat down at his desk, holding it in front of him. "I can't believe it," he said out loud to himself. Then, he laughed. "I can't _believe_ it!" It was tempting to morph right there in his office, just to feel the rush! He tossed his suit jacket over the lounger and propped his feet up on his desk. He'd managed to bond to the Energem, help defeat a monster (okay, a robot, and his own at that, but still), save a little girl, and become a hero.

 _Just like Sir Ivan_. _I always wanted to be just like him. And now I am,_ he thought with a smile, _in a much closer way than I ever thought_!

His eyes caught a gold picture frame sitting at the corner of his desk. The photo was an older one of him and his mother and father. He could have been no more than six. It was a formal portrait, but one he'd always liked, simply because his parents had looked so happy. _I wonder if they'd be happy now_ , he thought. _Mother and Father, your son is a super hero._

 _Your son is also a divorcee_ , his mind reminded him. He sighed and set the Energem down on the desk. There was a stack of paperwork on the side of his desk, his phone was blinking that he had messages to return…

 _I am the Graphite Power Ranger. But I am also Prince Philip III of Zandar._

 _Hopefully, I can balance being both_.

* * *

When Margaret came in a few minutes later with the requested literature he'd asked for, Philip was asleep on his desk, one hand outstretched toward the photo.

Margaret smiled softly. She set down the magazine and newspaper articles, then took the photo frame in her hands. She laid it down on the desk and gently put his hand on top of it. He shifted in his sleep and she hesitated, but then, he was still again.

 _Sleep well tonight, Philip_ , she thought to herself. _Tomorrow… may not be so restful._ As she left his office, Martin pulled up her chair and sat down just outside the doors. He gave her a nod, and she left for the evening.

* * *

 _Outside, just past the castle gates, they waited until security had walked their perimeter before poking their head out to stare at the window in the bottom corner of the castle. The heavy shades were drawn but he was definitely in there._

 _And he had to come out sometime._

 _He couldn't stay in that office forever._

* * *

Philip opened his bedroom door still adjusting his tie, and was surprised to see Martin standing outside. "Good morning, Sire," Martin nodded to him and bowed shortly.

"Good morning, Martin," Philip said, frowning. "Did you need something?" He knotted his tie and gestured to the hallway. "I'm not often greeted by my head of security this early in the morning." He smiled. "I don't think I've done anything in the past eight hours to merit a security detail…have I?"

Martin wasn't smiling back, and Philip was instantly on alert. He slipped a hand into his pants pocket to feel the Graphite Energem sitting against the material. "What's the matter?" he asked Martin.

Martin was all business. "If you'd allow me to accompany you to your office this morning, Sire," Martin said formally.

"Of course," Philip replied, totally confused. "Are you planning on informing me of why I need a detail to walk down the hall?"

Martin nodded. "Yes, Sire. But I would prefer to do it somewhere other than in the hall."

Philip inclined his head and started forward. He noticed Martin kept himself between Philip and the windows all the way to his office. Margaret was sitting at her desk, and she stood when they walked into the anteroom. "Good morning," Philip greeted her, and she noticed the tension in his voice.

"Good morning, Philip," she responded. She exchanged a look with Martin. "One moment." He watched her disappear into his office and come out a moment later. She nodded to Martin and Martin held the door, gesturing for Philip to go inside.

Philip stepped into his office. The drapes had been drawn, pitching the room into darkness. Margaret flicked the light on and gestured for Philip to sit down. Philip eyed the two of them as he perched on the edge of his desk. "All right. What on earth is going on?" he demanded. He spread his arms. "What's the need for all the secrecy?" _Had Thomas told them something about what happened in California? Because if that was the case…he could take care of himself!_

Margaret dug into the pile of news clippings she'd left on his desk the night before and pulled one from the stack. She handed it to Philip wordlessly.

Philip scanned the article. "This is just some tabloid drivel about mine and Annabeth's divorce," he said, tossing the paper to the desk. "I don't understand-"

"Philip!" Margaret interrupted him and Philip paused, taken aback. Martin walked up to the desk and snatched the paper off, thrusting it into his face.

"You need to look at the picture, Sire," Martin urged him.

Philip looked at the accompanying photo. It took him a moment…but then he understood. The photo had been taken shortly before he'd left for California.

It was him in his _bedroom_. Clothed, thank God, but too close for comfort. Philip looked at Martin. "How did this happen?" he demanded. There had been photos of him before, sure, out in public, but never something this…intimate. It unnerved him that someone had gotten that close to security..and for a picture? There had to be an ulterior motive.

Martin shook his head. "I have had everyone on it since you left for the US, Philip. No one saw anything. Cameras didn't pick up anything suspicious."

Philip pinched the bridge of his nose. "Have there been any others?" Then, he had a horrifying thought. "Did someone follow us to California?" he gasped. Images of his new friends and their mission flashed in his mind. _Oh God. If someone photographed me…us…._

Martin shook his head. "If they have, nothing has been published." Philip let out an audible breath. "Sire, I've not had a security breach of this magnitude since I took over security for your father." He closed his eyes. "I am truly sorry."

Philip slid off his desk and went around to drop into his chair. "It's all right, Martin. It's not your fault." He looked at the two of them. "I'm afraid I caused all this."

"That's a load of bunk," Margaret said staunchly. " _Annabeth_ is surely behind this. Trying to get someone close enough to catch you doing something…."

 _Like morphing into a Power Ranger?_ He was glad he hadn't morphed yesterday in his office! He smiled at Margaret, grateful for her support. "I suppose for the near future I'll need to stay close to home," he decided. He looked at Martin. "No outside engagements unless absolutely necessary, Martin." He looked around at the walls of his office. "I've gone under temporary house arrest," he said. "Martin, we need to question the ex-Secretary of Antiquities and his daughter." He shook his head. "It may be Margaret is correct and this is Annabeth's way of trying to stir something up, or this could be revenge on her father's part for my firing of him. Either way," Philip sat up and clasped his hands together on his desk, "it would appear they have the upper hand."

"For now," Martin said quietly, and Philip nodded his head in agreement.

"By the way, sire," Margaret said. "On a complete different note…I received a notice on the account for a plane ticket from San Francisco to Auckland, New Zealand?"

Philip chuckled. "My apologies for going over your head with that one," he apologized. "Please make sure it gets placed under my personal expense account when it clears," he told her.

"Are you going to tell me what it was for?" She raised an eyebrow. "Planning a trip to New Zealand, Philip?"

He smiled, recalling the look of happiness on Chloe Randall's face. "No," he told Margaret truthfully. "I think I've had enough traveling for awhile." His face fell. _What am I going to do if the Rangers need me again?_


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer : I don't own the characters, they belong to Saban.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIFTEEN:**

 _To: (private)_

 _From: dinoitall_

 _Hi Philip!_

 _Hope everything is going good for you. We're busy packing our bags for New Zealand! Chase got a care package from his mom and his sister-some tabloid thing from Auckland, where he's from-with this picture of one of Sledge's ships. So we're all going Down Under to check it out! Sure wish you could join us._

 _Shelby_

"I wish I could," Philip said out loud to his empty office. He clicked the small rubbish bin icon and closed his personal email. It had been almost two weeks and he hadn't left the castle. Were it not for his daily workouts with Thomas, he would be going insane. Martin, Margaret and Thomas had a close watch on the tabloids and the grounds, but the sneak photographer had not made another attempt. Rumors _were_ swirling, however, on why he hadn't been seen in public, everything from an infectious disease picked up with his rendezvous with his American actress girlfriend in the States to a very heavy drinking problem. Margaret fended off the media with the usual "no comment" and Philip himself issued a statement assuring the public of Zandar that he was in fact, in perfect health, just catching up on some end of the year budgeting-something he admittedly wasn't good with and the press knew it.

Martin had confronted Annabeth and her father. Both of them, naturally, denied that they knew anything about the photo taken of him. No new photos cropped up with the increased security, but in response, there seemed to be more stories about him in the papers. _You can't win_ , Philip thought, as he sat at his desk, staring at his computer. The Graphite Energem was sitting on the desk near his computer mouse. The gem's presence made him feel more secure, somehow, even with things falling apart. His public image was waning. The people of Zandar were starting to lapse back into seeing him as his eighteen-year-old self, the young prince playboy who didn't know how to run a country.

"I can't stay in here forever!" he exploded to Thomas one morning during a sparring session. He reached back and drove a fist into the pad on Thomas's hand. "I cannot continue to live my life in fear. Otherwise, this person has won!" A foot connected with the pad.

"I agree with you," Thomas replied, making Philip pause in his rant.

"What?"

Thomas shrugged. "I've been talking to Martin for _days_ trying to get him to let you out of the door."

Philip pulled the tape from his left hand as he walked over to his desk. "And?"

There was a ripping sound as Thomas pulled the Velcro backing from the pad and tossed it on the lounger. "You have an appearance at the Children's Hospital on Friday," he said. "Apparently, it took a lot of convincing on Margaret's part to get them to agree to it. Something about your ex-wife-"

Philip rolled his eyes and muttered a choice word in French. Thomas snorted. "Anyway, she got him to agree to it, and Martin has gone over security plans with them like a mad scientist with his latest creation. The President of the United States could visit along with you for all the details he's done."

Philip pushed himself off his desk and clapped Martin breathlessly on the shoulder. "Thank you!" he gasped. He laughed. "You have no idea how wonderful it will be to get out of here, even for the afternoon." A thought occurred to him. "This could be a good chance to pull this person out of the woodwork as well," he told Thomas. "Has Martin told the press where I will be?"

Thomas frowned. "No. But-"

Philip jogged over to his desk and paged Margaret. "Can you find Martin and bring him here? I have an idea I'd like to discuss with the two of you." He looked at Thomas. "The _three_ of you."

* * *

"Out of the question!" Martin raged. "Absolutely _not_!"

"Why not?" Philip countered calmly. Margaret was on the lounger, Martin seated in front of him at the desk, and Thomas stood by Philip's side as Philip offered his plan to his head of security. "If we want a way to pull this paparazzi worm out of the woodwork, what better opportunity than a public appearance?"

"What's to say this isn't some paparazzo and it's some terrorist, Philip?" Martin countered. "I'm not going to endanger your life just to put this person in prison!"

"I can't stay here forever, Martin," Philip pointed out. _And if a call comes in from California, I'm gone no matter_ what _you say._ "People are losing faith in their leader," he told him. "I'm cut off. Elusive. Apparently, I also have some kind of infectious disease and I'm dying." Margaret smiled thinly and Philip looked at her. "Besides, the budget meeting is next week and my part is done, so we cannot continue to use that as an excuse."

"I'd rather they write tabloid drivel about you than write your obituary!" Martin countered.

Philip sighed. "Martin, I have the best security team in Europe," he assured him. "I'm not especially keen on offering myself as bait for this person either," he added honestly. "But this person cannot dictate my life for the rest of my life. I cannot sit here and do nothing, just on the off chance that if I do _something_ this person will twist it back on me-they're already roasting me in the papers!"

"He's got a point," Thomas spoke up quietly from off his shoulder, and Martin looked up at him from his chair. Thomas crossed his arms over his chest. "While I don't approve of the method of choice," he muttered, glancing at Philip, "if we have the local law enforcement along with his personal security detail, that puts a lot of eyes out there. Chances are _someone_ will spot something. Even if it ends up a tabloid headliner the next day, between angle of the photo or _something_ , we should be able to determine who it was. The hospital has outside security cameras and the officers have new cameras on their body armor now." He smiled. "And Philip is well-adept to knowing what will work with his security and what won't." His eyes drifted to the desk, where Philip's Energem sat.

"I could offer it out to the capital paper," Margaret said after a moment. "If we limit where the information about the appearance comes from, we can help narrow down the sources of a possible leak if it happens."

Martin turned to her. "You're all insane," he said incredulously.

"But we're also correct," Philip told Martin. "If you have any other ideas, I'm open to suggestions," he explained. "But also know this, I'm not planning on living my life inside these four walls forever, so whether it happens now, when we have some control over it, or later, if I just decide to jump ship…I'm getting out of this office!"

Martin threw his hands in the air. "This is madness," he declared. He glared at Philip. Philip, to his credit, met his gaze and didn't waver. "Fine," he relented. He looked at Margaret. "I need a list of everyone you plan on giving this information to." He looked at Philip and Thomas. "And then you and I are going over security protocols for this visit so you know them up, down and backwards."

Philip grinned, his blue eyes alight. "I'll be a good student," he promised Martin, with a wink at Thomas.

* * *

 _To: dinoitall_

 _From: (private)_

 _Hello Shelby,_

 _I wondered how you made out with your trip to New Zealand? I admit I scoured the New Zealand Herald for news but saw nothing that indicated you ran into any trouble. I'm sorry I wasn't able to join you Down Under. Please tell the others hello for me, and I hope I will see you all soon._

 _Philip_

 _To: (private)_

 _From: dinoitall_

 _Philip OMG you won't believe what happened while we were in New Zealand! So we found this guy named Albert, who like, is totally crazy but really nice (long story). He's old enough to be my grandpa! Anyway, it turns out he had the Purple Energem and he was morphing into the Purple Ranger, going around Auckland and helping people. Small stuff, no monsters (at least, not until Sledge heard about him too). Anyway, we now have the Purple Energem AND the PlesioZord! I still can't believe it! We met this paleontologist named Dr. Runga (you should Google him or whatever you have in Zandar) and at first he was a real jerk but he helped us track down the Plesiosaur. She's AMAZING! _

_Eight Energems down, two to go!_

 _Shelby_

"Fantastic!" Philip pounded a fist on his desk. He'd just finished Shelby's email and was as excited for the discovery of the Purple Energem as his US teammates. Based on Shelby's correspondence, he knew there were two left: Aqua and Silver. Someone had the Aqua, as the Ankylzord was in the Ranger arsenal and alive and kicking, but he'd not heard anything on the Silver.

"What's got you so excited?" Margaret asked as she came into his office. Philip's head snapped up and he minimized his email. She handed him the final itinerary for the hospital visit. He flicked through it idly-he had the entire packet memorized. Martin had practically drilled it into him.

"Just some good news from a friend," Philip said smoothly. He tapped the papers on his desk and set them down. "It's about that time, isn't it?"

Margaret nodded and bit her lip. "Martin is waiting for you, along with Thomas. The hospital is anxiously awaiting your arrival."

Philip stood up from his desk and straightened his tie. He studied his suit jacket, then decided to leave it on the chair. He would be with children. He wanted to feel relaxed. "You seem worried," he told his assistant.

"You don't seem to be, so someone should be," Margaret countered, and Philip laughed softly. "Believe me, I am plenty concerned," he promised her. He put his hands on her shoulders. "But I'll be fine. I'm in good hands."

Margaret nodded, but she didn't seem convinced. Her eyes widened. "Before I forget," she told him, "the hospital director is wondering if you'd be interested in reading a story to the children?"

Philip smiled. "Absolutely." Then, he had a thought. "Would it be all right if I…sort of made up one?"

Margaret frowned, confused. "I-ah…I suppose that would be fine…"

"Excellent." Philip clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "All right. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Margaret gestured to the door, and Philip strode past her to the outer office, where Martin was waiting.

* * *

"Prince Philip, it's a pleasure."

 _You certainly don't sound like it,_ Philip thought to himself through a forced smile and a handshake with the hospital's director of public relations. "Thank you for inviting me," he replied, with all the polish of a practiced royal. "I'm only sorry I couldn't fulfill my obligation earlier." It was a thinly veiled apology for Annabeth's behavior months ago, and he hoped the director understood.

"The children are waiting," the director, a salt-and-pepper haired man named David Franklin, pointed down the hall. "Shall we?"

Philip nodded. With Martin and Thomas sandwiching him between them, he followed Director Franklin down the hall to the wide open Children's Wing. He'd never been here before and was sufficiently impressed with the layout. Floor to ceiling windows on two walls of the room, bright yellow and green paint and carpeting. Sitting in a semi-circle on bright blue couches, about fifteen children were waiting, staring wide-eyed at the approaching Prince of Zandar. Philip glanced around. Two were in wheelchairs. A few were sitting on their own on the floor, tethered to IV poles. Others were being held by what seemed to be parents or volunteers. Philip waited a moment as the photographers got their shots, then, to everyone's surprise, sat down on the floor, cross-legged. "Hello, everyone," he greeted them, looking around the circle. He got a few small waves. "I'm Prince Philip, and I'm very honored to meet all of you today."

He chose to focus on a little boy with a an IV line taped to his arm. "You're a hero," he told him, and the boy's eyes widened. He turned to a little girl. "And you're a hero," he told her. He smiled when she buried her face in the arms of the volunteer holding her. Philip pointed around the circle. "Everyone here is a hero. Do you know why?"

They all shook their heads. "Because you are facing down an enemy," he told them, "and you're _winning."_ He glanced up at Thomas, who nodded encouragingly. "I have a story for you today of Sir Ivan of Zandar. Have any of you heard of him?" A few nods, more shaking heads.

Philip launched into Ivan's story, hoping the Gold Ranger wouldn't mind him embellishing a little of it. "Sir Ivan never stopped fighting the great beast named Fury," he finished a few minutes later. "And in the end, he defeated him." He returned his gaze to the little boy sitting immediately in front of him. "I see much of Sir Ivan in all of you," he told them. "You are brave and strong. I know you will defeat the enemies you are facing with your courage and your strength."

The little boy broke into a huge grin, and Philip returned it with a warm smile. The kids applauded. Several of the adults were clapping as well. Philip looked up at Thomas and swore he saw tears pricking the older man's eyes.

An older teenage girl held a piece of paper out for him, and Philip produced a pen from his pocket and signed his name with a flourish for her. Then, he borrowed a mobile phone from one of the nursing staff and took a photo with her. He stayed about twenty minutes more, talking to everyone and posing for photos. Then, he saw Martin tap his watch and knew it was time. He turned to Director Franklin. Under his breath, he said, "Expect a donation for the hospital to show up in a few days," he told him. The older man nodded, and to Philip's surprise, wrapped him in a firm hug. Philip coughed and returned it. He waved to the children a final time, and then Thomas and Martin marched him from the room.

* * *

"Well done, Philip," Martin whispered to him as they walked toward the entrance. As soon as they reached the automatic doors, the hairs on the back of Philip's neck stood straight up. He wondered if the Graphite Energem, firmly in his shirt pocket, added the extra jolt of adrenaline he felt. Thomas must have felt him stiffen. "Are you all right?" he whispered.

Philip swallowed. "I don't know. Let's get to the car, please." He kept the smile plastered on his face as he waved to the small media crowd that had been informed of his itinerary. Martin and Thomas ushered him to the black Lincoln town car with the flag of Zandar painted on the door. Philip slid into the back and Thomas followed. Martin climbed into the passenger seat up front and nodded to the driver. The car pulled away, and Philip breathed a sigh of relief.

"Everything all right back there?" Martin asked Philip.

Philip leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes. "Something didn't feel right back there," he admitted. "Let's just get back to the castle, please."

"You'll get no arguments from me," Martin told him. Philip kept his eyes closed and tried to shake the unnerving feeling he had.

It was not to be. "The black Audi back there has been tailing us since the hospital," Thomas announced a few minutes later." He was turned in his seat, looking out the back window.

Philip's eyes snapped open. "What?" He craned his neck backwards to look.

"Make a right," Martin instructed the driver. The car signaled and turned. Thomas watched. The Audi followed. "Yeah, it's definitely tailing. Always stays a few cars back, but it's there," he told Martin. "Might i suggest we call the police?"

"You might," Martin said. "But I'd rather this not turn into a Princess Diana chase."

Philip's heart started to beat a little quicker and he felt his palms sweat. _All the power in the world... The Graphite Energem in his pocket_... But it couldn't help him now.

"Speed up a bit," Martin said. "Take the roundabout here, we'll exit off King Lionel Street and go in the back way to the castle. Have the police meet us there." He spoke with the calm detachment of someone who had been arranging security for royalty for years.

The town car entered the roundabout and circled the fountain. Martin had his eyes glued to either the side mirror or the rearview, watching the Audi, still hanging back a few cars, but always within sight. Thomas held the secured mobile phone to his ear and relayed Martin's instructions to the local police. Philip stayed silent, hands clenched in his lap. The Graphite gem was going to be permanently etched into his palm. His mind flashed back to Amber Beach and Fury, the day he'd ambushed the motorcade. He'd felt this helpless then. Now, he had the means to do something about it and couldn't. _Not without arousing a lot of questions_.

The car exited the roundabout and rolled down King Lionel. The driver put on a bit more speed, hoping to get some distance between the Audi and them, or lose them completely before the other car could leave the roundabout.

"Good effort," Thomas announced, "but they're still there." He looked at Philip worriedly. "We could use your friends right about now," he muttered under his breath.  
Philip smiled thinly. "Indeed," he agreed. His fingers rolled the gem in his hand. _We're nearly there_ , he thought to himself.

"I think we've made him mad," Martin noted. "He's speeding up. Alvin, take a left up here." The tires on the Lincoln squealed and Philip put a hand up on the roof of the car to brace himself. He could see the headlights of the other car filling the rearview now.

"This is getting out of hand, Martin," Thomas said. "What if we stop? Between us and the guys in the car ahead, can we get him?"

"It's a thought, but we can't stop at this speed," Martin responded darkly. "We're nearly to the castle. If we can get in the gates-"

He didn't get a chance to finish the sentence. Without warning, the car behind them slammed into the Lincoln's bumper, sending the car and its' occupants fishtailing. Alvin fought for control of the car. Philip heard Thomas swear in at least two languages before the car swerved and crashed into a lamppost.


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN:**

 _Everything hurt_. There was an insistent buzzing in his ears. Philip cautiously opened one eye, then the other. _What happened?_ He remembered leaving the hospital, the black car following them, headlights… _Oh. They hit us!_ Philip surveyed the situation. The car was sitting upright, but crumpled against the lamppost it had hit. The light swayed, casting an eerie intermittent glow inside the vehicle through the shattered windows. He carefully lifted a hand to his forehead, felt something sticky working its' way down the side. The same hand drifted to his pocket. Something hard was resting against his chest, humming. _The Energem._ He breathed a sigh of relief. Miraculously, the gem hadn't fallen out or broken in the collision. _I need to get a chain for this thing or something._

Philip turned his head painfully to the left. Thomas was slumped over, his seatbelt had done its' job, but the older man's eyes were closed and he wasn't moving. "T-Thomas?" Philip rasped, reaching over with his arm and gently pushing on his friend's arm. Thomas didn't respond. "Wake up!" Philip coughed out, as loud as his lungs would let him. The sound of his voice was hollow in the car. He tried to see up front. Martin and Alvin were surrounded by the air bags. He couldn't tell if they were moving, and after calling each of their names in turn, got no response.

"I have to get us out of here," he whispered. He fought with his seatbelt and felt it fall out of the buckle. He pulled on the door handle, but the door didn't budge. _The window, then_. Wishing he had his jacket to put something between him and the broken window shards, it took him a few minutes to climb out of the window. He landed awkwardly on the ground on his right arm, crying out. He crawled to a sitting position outside the car, breathing heavily. He looked around. He could hear sirens coming.

He looked around, finding it hard to focus. The black Audi that had been following them was nowhere to be found. _But somewhere, there's going to be a black Audi with front-end damage_ , he reassured himself. He climbed painfully to his feet and went to work trying to get the passenger side door open to pull Martin from the car. The doors were stuck, probably jammed from the collision. _I can't tell if he's alive or dead_ , Philip thought worriedly. _This whole thing was my idea. I need to get him out of there…I need to…_

He pulled the Energem from his pocket and looked around. _This is a huge risk but…I can't just leave them in that car._ "Unleash the power!" he cried out, and saw a flash of gray light before the suit and helmet covered his body. The Power was buzzing through him and he took a step toward the car, then he gripped the handle and the side mirror…and pulled. The door creaked, groaned, and then he heard it wrench off the hinges. "Yes!" He demorphed and _oh God, now everything hurt again,_ especially his arms. He reached for Martin's seatbelt but didn't make it, sagged on the ground, and that's where the police cruisers that pulled up a minute later found him, unconscious.

* * *

 _Three days later_ …

Philip stepped out of the limousine and looked slowly around the grounds. _Take a photo, you bastard. I dare you_. He turned around, his right arm still tingling from the dislocated shoulder he'd received, and reached down with his left to help Thomas slide to the edge of the seat. Philip handed him his crutches and Thomas eased himself up and out of the vehicle. The older man was still in a lot of pain, despite his physical prowess. As soon as Thomas was clear, Philip turned to the front door of the castle and took a deep breath. "Are you ready for this?" he asked Thomas.

Thomas nodded, his mouth set in a firm line. "I am. Are you?"

Philip nodded. "More than ready," he told his friend. The two of them started walking together as Martin's security team (minus Martin, who was still in the hospital) surrounded them and led them up to the doors. Margaret was waiting, and it was clear she'd been crying. The second they hit the stairs, the press swarmed. Microphones invaded his vision. He heard every variation on the question, "What the hell happened to you?"

Philip gestured for Thomas to go inside. He then stood tall, looking out over the sea of reporters. _I'm right here. Come get me._ "Thank you for your concern," he spoke clearly , and the din died down so they could hear him. "While my administrative assistant has yet to write up a formal statement, I think I can handle this one." He paused for a moment. "Three days ago I was returning from King Philip Children's Hospital when the car I was riding in was hunted down and crashed into a light pole. I have sustained a dislocated shoulder, and while I was lucky...others on my staff were not as fortunate. Palace Chief of Security Martin d'Urban is currently still at King Lionel Hospital recovering from injuries he sustained in the impact. Thomas Leary, my personal bodyguard and very good friend, has a broken foot and a possible concussion. My driver…" Philip paused, taking a breath. His voice couldn't waver. Not now. "Alvin Lourdes has, tragically, succumbed to his injuries and is no longer with us. My heartfelt condolences are extended to his wife and funeral arrangements are pending. Rest assured he will be buried with the Zandarian Cross."

He found a television camera and glared directly into it. "To the animal who decided Alvin's life was worth feeding lies and pictures to the tabloids, know this: I will not rest until you are found and brought to justice. It would be in your best interest to turn yourself in. There will be no corner of this country-or any other-that you can hide from us." His cobalt eyes were on fire as he finished his statement, steel in his voice. "As far as I am concerned: you are Zandarian Public Enemy Number One." With that final statement, he brushed past Margaret and went indoors.

* * *

A moment later, Margaret ducked inside amid the lights of flashbulbs and yelling reporters. She slammed the door shut. "Vultures," she swore. "And no doubt someone will take that speech you just made-a very well done speech, I might compliment you-and twist it into something awful." She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"How are you?" Philip asked her gently. His assistant looked exhausted. No doubt between worry and fielding funeral arrangements and police reports and the press…It was funny, she had started off as his administrative assistant purely because he'd thought she was good-looking (albeit also highly qualified), but now, Margaret Williams was turning into one of his most trusted confidants…and friends. He wondered when that happened.

Margaret looked at him and shook her head. "Surviving," she said. "I keep telling myself that what I'm dealing with is minimal compared to what you-the both of you-have gone through."

"I've had worse," Thomas lied from his position on the bench just inside the doors.

"Take the day," Philip commanded Margaret. When she opened her mouth to protest, as he expected she would, he held up his good hand. "That's an official decree from your prince," he told her, raising an eyebrow. "This will keep until tomorrow."

Margaret stared at him. Then, she took two steps and threw her arms around him. "Thank you," she told him. Philip staggered a little, but he put his one good arm around her. "Go on," he told her. "See you tomorrow. Take the back way out. And Margaret?" he called after her as she turned back. "Thank you," he told her honestly.

She nodded, then disappeared down the hall.

Philip collapsed on the bench next to Thomas. "I feel like I was hit by a truck." He snorted. "Or stepped on by the PachyZord."

Thomas chuckled, then grimaced. "Don't make me laugh, Philip, even blinking hurts my head right now."

"You should take the day, too," Philip said. "You didn't sign on for this when you became my personal trainer. I'd say you've earned a vacation."

"What about you?" Thomas asked him, pushing himself to a more upright position and wincing as the room spun.

Philip carefully shrugged his way out of his overcoat. "The first thing I am going to do is take an entire bottle of aspirin," he began. "And then, I am going to tear this country apart to find the person that did this to us."

Thomas smiled. "I think your friend…Koda, was it? He'd be pretty damned proud of you. Koda said Energems choose the worthy, people with good hearts?" Philip nodded. "There's nobody in this country I know with a bigger one than you," he told Philip. "Your parents would be proud of you. And," he added, with a twinkle in his eye, "I think Margaret is _definitely_ damned proud of you."

Philip started. "Margaret? Don't be ridiculous, Thomas…" He shook his head as Thomas started laughing at him being so flustered. "I would hit you," he threatened, "but I don't want to hurt you more."

Thomas grinned. "The shape you're in right now, yeah? You couldn't even _make_ a fist, let alone connect."

Philip opened his mouth, closed it. "You're right," he said. "Seriously, though, Thomas, take the day. You need to rest that foot."

Thomas nodded. "I think I'll do that…my friend."

* * *

 _To: (private)_

 _From: dinoitall_

 _Philip!_

 _We all heard about your accident on Glitz World. Are you all right?!_

 _Shelby_

* * *

 _To: dinoitall_

 _From: (private)_

 _Shelby, Koda, Chase, Tyler, Ivan, Riley and Miss Morgan:_

 _Thank you for your concern. I type this email with one hand at the moment as the other is connected to my shoulder, which they had to pop back into place. It's still very sore. I am well, but I cannot say the same for two of my staff. One is still in the hospital; the other…I am making arrangements for a state funeral. We've not had any leads on the person who crashed into us. We have leads out at the auto repair venues for a black vehicle with front end damage (the logical place to start as I believe Riley would say). Unfortunately, nothing has come from it so far._

 _I apologize, but it looks as if my assistance in finding the final two Energems and defeating Fury and Sledge may be put on hold for a while._

 _Philip_

* * *

A few days later, as he iced his shoulder and put the final touches on a statement Margaret had written for him to be read at Alvin Lourdes' funeral, his computer dinged that he had an incoming message. He double-clicked on the pop-up.

 _To: (private)_

 _From:director_

 _Prince Philip,_

 _A development has come up in the search for the Energems I thought you should be aware of, as it not only could it affect us here in Amber Beach, but it could have serious implications worldwide._

 _Sledge has the Purple Energem. A grievous error on my part and a mistake I intend to correct immediately. There's no telling what he could do with that much power. You've seen what one Energem can do._

 _I have created a robot called Get-Bot, who is designed to latch onto the energy frequency of an Energem. We are going to plant it on Sledge's ship and mount an attack to retrieve it. While I am confident in the other Rangers…I cannot deny that the assistance of the Graphite Ranger would be a welcome addition. I know, based on the news, that you have a lot on your plate at the moment. While it would be good to have the extra manpower, we completely understand if your duties as Prince take precedence._

 _Kendall Morgan  
Museum Director_

* * *

"Sledge has an energem," Philip told Thomas later. Thomas had come by with some stretches for Philip's shoulder and some for his foot (despite the doctor telling him to just let it heal). "I don't know what to do. I know the others can probably handle it but…" He sighed. "Miss Morgan wouldn't have asked for my help if they didn't need it."

"That could mean missing Alvin's funeral," Thomas reminded him.

"I'm well aware," Philip replied. He rubbed his face. "I don't know what to do. If I go to California, there's a very real possibility I may not return to Zandar."

"Plus, if you go right before the funeral, the press is gonna assume you're going to see your hot American actress girlfriend instead of being present at the state funeral of Alvin Lourdes," Thomas added.

"You're not helping," Philip said with a small smile.

Thomas nodded. "I know." He looked at Philip. "What does that 'good heart' of yours tell you to do?"

* * *

 _PRINCE PHILIP TO SEE SPECIAL SURGEON IN US_

 _(Zandarian Press) Prince Philip III of Zandar will be taking an emergency trip to the United States to see a specialist regarding the shoulder injury he received in the crash that claimed the life of Alvin Lourdes, 65, almost one week ago. A representative for the prince's public affairs office was quoted as saying, "The trip comes on the recommendation of the Royal Physician, who believes the Prince may have suffered damage to the nerve endings in his shoulder; damage that could become permanent if it isn't corrected immediately." Prince Philip III is scheduled to speak at Mr. Lourdes' state funeral on Saturday, but it is unclear whether his travel itinerary will allow him to keep the commitment._

"'On the recommendation of the Royal Physician,'" Philip glanced over the press release at Margaret. "Dr. Kleinberg is on maternity leave."

Margaret nodded. "You know that, and I know that. But the press doesn't. And the doctor keeps her personal address and phone number conveniently hidden."

Philip handed it back to her. "You're a genius," he told her. "Incredible."

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me what this whirlwind trip to the United States is for?" Margaret asked him, tucking the release into a plastic cover.

He shook his head. "The less people who know, the better," he admitted to her. He could see it on her face that it upset her that she wasn't included in the secret. "Margaret," he told her, standing and coming around his desk. "You are my most personal confidant," he said. "Apart from Thomas." He put a good hand on her shoulder. "The less people I include on this secret…the less people can be hurt by it if something should happen," he said. "Someday, I hope I can tell you."

Margaret nodded. "Be careful," she said suddenly. She frowned. "I don't know why I said that. But I mean it. Take care of yourself."

He nodded. "To the best of my ability," he promised her.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer : I don't own the characters.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:**

" _Martin is out of the hospital. They managed to get the internal bleeding under control."_

Philip breathed a sigh of relief and rested his head against the window of the rental car. "That's wonderful news," he told Margaret. "Good to hear."

" _Is everything all right, Sire?_ " Margaret asked him. " _You sound….worried."_

Philip glanced sideways at Thomas, who was sitting patiently in the driver's seat, waiting for him to finish his call. "It was a long flight," he replied after a moment. "And I'm a bit worried about this 'emergency surgery' I'm about to undertake."

There was a gentle laugh on the other end of the phone. _"Well, I hope you come out of it just fine in the end,"_ Margaret told him.

Philip bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes. "As do I," he told her. "Please, keep me in the loop with Martin's condition."

" _Of course."_

Philip ended the call and looked out the window at the Amber Beach Dinosaur Museum. "Last time I was here," he told Martin, "I feel as though I didn't do much."

"What are you talking about?" Thomas asked him. "I saw you save a little girl's life. You beat up that training robot thing like it owed you money."

Philip sighed. "The others have been doing this much longer than I have," he said. "I'm not sure if I will be as great an asset as they believe I will be."

Thomas processed that. Then, he said, "I think you won't know that until you try."

Philip nodded. Light rain was falling outside the car windows. "Well," he said slowly, "I didn't travel halfway around the world just to sit in the car, now did I?"

Thomas clapped him on the shoulder. "You'll do fine, Philip. Now go on, the world needs you."

Philip undid his seatbelt and pushed open the door. _Yes,_ he thought to himself. _No pressure there._

* * *

Philip paid the admission fee, then casually made his way toward where he remembered the inside entrance to the Ranger base to be. _Down the hall…past the T-Rex skeleton…_ The elevator was marked for DELIVERIES ONLY. Philip leaned against the wall, pretending to get a wider look at the big T-Rex skeleton in the middle of the aisle. His fingers found the button and he pressed it. There was a rumbling on his back, and the door slid back. He stepped in and closed the door, thankful the only other two people in the area-a father and his daughter-were too engrossed in the skeleton to notice him.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened out into a quiet, dimly-lit hallway. On the right there were two large metal doors. The motion sensor picked him up and it slid back, and Philip stepped into the hidden base, where, to his surprise, the others were already waiting, their attention focused on the museum director.

Miss Morgan was speaking, but looked up over Chase's shoulder as he caught her eye and smiled, pointing. "Including the Graphite Ranger," she finished with a smile, and everyone turned around in surprise.

Philip nodded to everyone with a genuine smile returned at Miss Morgan.

"Prince Philip!" Shelby was grinning. "You look great!" She frowned. "I-um, I mean, with the accident and all-"

Philip laughed and held up a hand. "I'm more or less in one piece, Shelby, thank you for your concern."

"Good to see you sire!" Ivan stepped forward and pressed one hand to his chest in salute. Philip made the 'rise' motion with his hand, keeping with Ivan's 800-year-old formality. "It will be an honor to fight alongside you again."

"The honor is mine, Sir Ivan," Philip disagreed.

"Welcome back, Prince!" Koda enthused, slapping him on the shoulder. His _right_ shoulder. Philip grimaced and Ivan shot Koda a stern look. "Oh! Sorry!" Koda apologized, frowning. He removed his hand instantly.

"It's all right, Ivan," Philip told the knight. He looked at Koda. "It's good to see you _all_ again," he told everyone, nodding also in turn to Riley, Chase and Tyler. He turned to Miss Morgan. "I'm ready."

Tones chimed throughout the base, and Philip followed everyone over to a computer setup on a stark white table. "Transport pods are entering the atmosphere," Miss Morgan announced. She looked at everyone grimly. "Now's our chance."

"Let's go," Tyler decided. "Philip, we can fill you in on the way there."

"I have a vague idea of what's happening," Philip said as he followed the others out of the base. "We're running into almost certain death."

"Wow, Prince Pessimist, thanks," Riley teased as they piled into two vehicles-Tyler's Jeep and a van borrowed from the museum. Philip followed Miss Morgan, Ivan and Koda into the van as Tyler, Shelby and Riley jumped into Tyler's Jeep. The van lurched forward and Philip closed his eyes and took a breath.

"Is everything all right, Sire?" Ivan asked him quietly.

Philip counted to ten. "I'm all right, Sir Ivan," he said. "I should have taken some more painkillers for my shoulder."

"Perhaps when this is over, I shall accompany you back to Zandar and help you find the fiend who did this to you," Ivan suggested.

Philip shook his head. "As noble as that undertaking would be, my friend, you would be hard to explain to the Zandarian public."

Ivan nodded. "Good point," he conceded.

* * *

The van followed the cloud of dust being kicked up by Tyler's vehicle out into the woods edging Amber Beach. Miss Morgan parked the van behind Tyler as they rolled to a stop. She got out, Koda following her. The Blue Ranger handed her a small metal box on wheels with an arm. "That Get-Bot," he explained at Philip's confused look. "It going to get Energem back."

"Off of Sledge's ship?" Philip asked, making sure he was up to date. Koda nodded eagerly. "Exactly how is it going to come _back_ from space?"

No one answered. Philip saw the others reach for their Dino Chargers, and he held out his own, labeled #8. _Here we go again_. He pressed the button on the top, felt the Power surge. A moment later, he was looking out at the others through the tinted visor, his body buzzing. He could still feel his shoulder, but it felt better somehow, encased in the suit.

"These are the coordinates," the only unmorphed member of the group, Miss Morgan, said, checking her handheld GPS unit.

"Yeah, but I don't see any pods," Riley said, looking around.

 _Where are they?_ Philip wondered.

Tyler spotted them first. "Eyes up, guys!" the Red Ranger said, pointing skyward. Philip craned his neck back and then saw them coming just over the top of the trees. Five triangular-shaped pods roared overhead, as loud as a fighter jet. They were slowing down. Tyler waved the group forward, and Philip followed him into the trees. The pods had deftly settled between the trees.

"Wow. There's a lot of them," Shelby whispered.

"I have a stupid question," Chase said. "If they're transport pods…where's what they transported?" The Black Ranger was looking around. Philip understood. There was no sign of anything-no Vivix, no monsters, and definitely no Sledge.

And then they burst from the trees, bearing down on the team. "Found them," Riley announced unnecessarily.

"Keep them distracted," Miss Morgan instructed. She looked up at the Gold Ranger. "Ivan and I will go around to the rear and plant Get-Bot."

"Be careful," Tyler warned as Miss Morgan and Ivan split off at a run. He turned to the others. "They've got an Energem now. It's a whole new ballgame-"

A laser shot interrupted him, and Philip threw up his hands to block his face as something green shot past him. _What the-_

He tried to turn to see what had fired at them. Except his feet wouldn't budge. The Graphite Ranger strained every muscle he had, but nothing was happening. His eyes could faintly see a wavy fog surrounding himself and the others. _What in the hell is this?_ he wondered.

"I can't move!" Tyler cried out a few feet ahead of him. Philip heard the others confirm with Tyler-no one was going anywhere. To make matters worse…it _hurt_. There was something in the fog, poking at their suits. To Philip, it felt like the feeling one got when a limb had fallen asleep, but a hundred times worse. It was paralyzing.

And then….Philip's eyes trailed up to see a humanoid-shaped metal thing coming out of the sky. "Surprise!" it announced, sounding very gleeful.

"Sledge," Philip heard Koda growl, and he felt the color leave his face. So _this_ was Sledge, the alien bounty hunter who was after the Energems. _This_ was the thing responsible for all the havoc on Earth right now. _This_ thing was the reason Fury had been after the Gold Energem 800 years ago and Ivan had been captured….Philip tried to clench his fists, but his fingers weren't listening. The fog held them in place.

"I'm starting to see why you rangers are so tough to beat," Sledge mused. "These energems are pretty powerful."

 _If we don't move, our Energems are lost and it's all over…_ Philip poured everything he had into trying to get his feet to move, but nothing happened. He hoped Ivan and Miss Morgan were all right. He couldn't see them from where he was.

Sledge paced in front of the captive rangers. "Wanna know how this is going to play out?" he asked them.

"No, but I bet you're gonna tell us," Chase hissed.

Sledge ignored him. "First, I'm going to take the Red Energem." He took a menacing step toward Tyler. The frozen Red Ranger was helpless to do anything. Sledge reached out a hand.

There was a barrage of white laser fire. Sledge staggered backwards as the alien known as Keeper materialized off to the right of the fog and advanced, his spear pointed directly at Sledge.

"Keeper!" Tyler said, relieved.

"You may have an Energem," Keeper informed Sledge, "But you'll never have the heart of a Ranger."

"You fooled me once, Keeper, but today, you'll finally pay for it!" With that, Sledge's focus came off the rangers and onto Keeper as a 65 million-year old grudge match began. Keeper held his own, dodging the first few shots and using his spear to launch himself at Sledge. Unfortunately, it looked to Philip as though Keeper hadn't been involved in much of the battling happening in Amber Beach. The alien was losing ground. _No. No, no no!_ Keeper was hit hard with a laser bolt, and fell to the ground _hard_ on his stomach.

"No! Keeper!" Philip heard Shelby scream.

Two blue-headed aliens appeared, and hauled Keeper off the ground, bringing him before Sledge. Philip's eyes also caught sight of- _Fury._ The gold lionlike beast was coming from the woods with a pair of Vivix.

Sledge got right into Keeper's face. "I'm not done with you _yet_ , Keeper," he hissed menacingly. To the two blue aliens, he said, "Take him back to the ship and make him _suffer._ "

The rangers watched helplessly as Keeper was carried away. Philip heard Riley swear under his breath. Sledge returned his attention to them. "Now…where was I?" He stepped up in front of Tyler and pulled the Red Energem from Tyler's suit. He looked at it, then ripped it off the chain. Tyler cried out in shock and fell to his knees, demorphing in a burst of red light. He was now completely human and very helpless against the armored bounty hunter. Tyler lay on the ground, writhing in pain, the fog still snaking its' way around him.

Philip heard a roar. _The pods are taking off_. He hoped Ivan and Miss Morgan had managed to plant the little energem-finding robot. He looked back over at Tyler, who was trying painfully to get to his feet. _We have to do something, or Sledge is just going to walk away with our gems!_

Sledge made his way to Koda, right in front of Philip. "Two down," Sledge growled. He reached for Koda's energem. " _Five_ _to go_."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** **That last line bugged me so much that I used my fingers and did the math. At this point, there's seven Energems (Red, Pink, Green, Blue, Black, Graphite, Purple). Sledge already has Purple and he'd just taken Red from Tyler. In the episode, he says 'One down, six to go," but he's already got Tyler's in hand and purple up on the ship or wherever. So he's got two of them, and there's five left. Even if he meant 'one' as the Red Energem, he still has Purple somewhere, so it's still only Pink, Blue, Green, Black, Graphite, which is five. Unless he's forgetting about Purple, but I mean, come on, he's been after these things for 65 million years, I don't think he's forgetting he's got one (but then, dude's marrying Poisandra, so maybe I'm not 100% clear on his mental capacity...).**


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:**

Sledge hit the ground with a surprised grunt. Philip's eyes darted over to see Tyler with his hands on Keeper's staff. Somehow, he'd gotten hold of it-Philip couldn't imagine the willpower it had taken to break the fog's hold. Then, to his surprise, he realized _he_ could move. Philip sagged, catching himself with his hands before he hit the ground. He tested his limbs. Everything was working again. "We're free!" he yelled to everyone.

Something screamed overhead, strafing Sledge from the air. "A _Zord_?" Sledge barked. It was Ivan in the PteraZord. Philip watched Ivan swing around and come back toward the group. Riley and Koda grabbed hold of Tyler, who was still unmorphed. "Hold on!" Riley warned him, and with that, all of the rangers leapt skyward as the Zord came in just off the deck. Chase popped the hatch and the six of them dropped into the cockpit, joining Ivan.

"Great timing!" Chase told Ivan gratefully as the PteraZord peeled off and headed toward town.

"Is everyone okay?" Riley asked. Philip nodded. His shoulder twinged, but he was otherwise in one piece. He looked over at Tyler, who was being supported by Shelby. Their leader was holding Keeper's staff out in front of him, deep in thought.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Shelby asked him.

"Keeper is powerless without his staff," Tyler said worriedly. He looked up. "Do we know where Miss Morgan is?"

Ivan shook his head. "I-I left her to assist you," he said. He hung his head. "I shouldn't have left her."

"It's all right, Sir Ivan," Philip assured him. The knight looked back at him quickly, then faced the front again. Philip understood. It was like Prince Collin all over again-he thought he'd failed someone he was assigned to look after. "Miss Morgan is very smart. She'll be all right," Philip added, hoping he sounded convincing.

Tyler's communicator beeped, and he pulled it from the pocket of his cargo shorts. His eyes widened. "Miss Morgan!"

"What?" Philip asked, at the same time Chase said, "She's okay!"

" _Rangers, I'm going after Keeper_ ," Miss Morgan told them. " _I'm in one of Sledge's pods-"_

The video signal fuzzed, then blanked out. "Miss Morgan!" Shelby yelled, but the connection had been severed.

"Hold on!" Ivan yelled suddenly, and pulled the PteraZord straight up, nearly knocking the others off their feet. Philip looked up to see what was happening, and through the eye-shaped windows, saw a giant, green…. _something_.

"What the hell is that?" Chase asked, voicing Philip's question.

"We have to stop it," Tyler declared. " _Whatever_ it is."

"But we have to rescue friends," Koda objected.

"Then we'll have to split up," Tyler decided. He looked at the others. "You guys can take the MegaZord and take on that monster." He looked at the Pink Ranger. "Shelby and I will take the PlesioZord and try to get to Sledge's ship to find Keeper and Kendall."

"You're going into _space_?" Riley said doubtfully, his tone suggesting what a completely _illogical_ idea that was.

Tyler turned to him. "If you have a better idea…I'm all for it," he said. Riley was silent. Their unmorphed leader looked around the cockpit. Philip was amazed. Tyler had no way to protect himself aboard Sledge's ship without his energem. _I don't know if Zandar still knights people,_ Philip thought to himself, but he made a mental note to check because he was pretty sure he knew a candidate for it. _Except then I'd have to explain why….so perhaps not_. Still, Philip didn't envy Tyler's position as leader. He didn't know if he, in the same situation, could be making the brave decisions that Tyler was.

"We are with you." That was Ivan, loyal to the end. Philip nodded in agreement.

Tyler, Chase and Riley called their zords and formed the MegaZord. Then, Ivan, Philip, Chase, Riley and Koda transported to the cockpit to take on… _whatever_ it was that was in front of them. "Looks like Godzilla," Riley muttered.

"Greenzilla," Philip noted, and Riley nodded.

"Whatever it is, here it comes!" Chase said, digging his feet into the console. "Get ready, guys."

"How do you like your first MegaZord ride, Your Highness?" Ivan asked Philip.

Philip snorted. "Ask me again if we survive, Sir Ivan," he replied, as the MegaZord strode forward into battle. _Once upon a time it was white horses and knights in armor. Now…it's five young men in suits of armor inside a giant…robot._ "How times have changed," he muttered out loud to himself.

The Greenzilla swung its' tail at the Zord, sending the rangers staggering. Philip barely managed to stay upright. It dug its' teeth into the chestplate, and Philip grabbed onto the upright panel to steady himself. "I don't know much about this MegaZord, but it doesn't appear to be able to withstand much more of this!" he said. "Do we have any other weaponry to try?"

"Good idea, Prince Philip," Koda enthused. He turned to Chase, who was standing in the lead. "Add Ptera Zord?" he suggested.

"Worth a shot," Chase agreed through gritted teeth. "Activate Ptera Formation!" With a scream, the Ptera Zord latched onto the back of the Zord and Chase pushed the MegaZord backwards with the newfound wings. Chase and Riley's Raptor and Parasaurus dropped and the Triceratops and Stegosaurus zords replaced them in the arms. "Now we've got a little more muscle," Riley noted. He swung the spiked Stego arm at the Greenzilla and knocked it backward.

"Let's finish him off!" Chase ordered, yanking his DinoSabre from the panel. Philip drew his as well, marveling at it.

"Follow us," Koda told Philip, and Philip held the blade aloft, like a knight of old.

"Stego Sabre!" Outside, the MegaZord's own version of the sabre materialized.

The Greenzilla wasn't giving up. Long tendrils snaked from its' giant body, wrapping themselves around the arms and legs of the MegaZord. Philip felt the entire machine shudder to a stop. He didn't like the feeling. It felt too much like Sledge's fog.

"We must get free!" Ivan told Chase.

"You think?" Chase shot back, and then the world tilted, and the five men felt themselves falling backwards. Philip slammed hard into the back wall as the MegaZord fell. The Greenzilla loomed closer, filling the cockpit window. Crackling orange energy snaked down the tendrils, zapping the MegaZord. Philip felt his hair stand on end.

"I see stars," Koda groaned painfully.

"Guys, this isn't good," Riley agreed.

"We have to keep trying! The others are depending on us," Philip stated, struggling to get back to his feet even as his vision spun.

"Then _get up_!" Chase roared. He drove the tip of his sabre into the console and climbed to his feet. Ivan, Philip, Riley and Koda followed. "Let's mix things up again. Activate AnkyloPachy Formation."

 _Finally_! Philip thought excitedly. His awesome PachyZord was going to make an appearance. The arms switched out again, and Philip unrolled the mace from the end of the PachyZord's tail. Koda raised the hammer on the Ankylozord. "Time to bring the hammer down," Philip said, and Riley snickered next to him. Koda swung the hammer at the Greenzilla and knocked it over. _Thomas would appreciate the irony of the statement_ , Philip thought, and hoped his friend was somewhere safe.

"Have you guys found Keeper and Miss Morgan yet?" Chase asked into the comm.

" _This is Miss Morgan_ ," Kendall's voice crackled through…but the picture onscreen was of a purple-helmeted Power Ranger.

"Wait…what?" Chase's jaw dropped.

" _We've got Keeper and should be off the ship in a few minutes_ ," she continued, ignoring Chase's outburst.

"But… _you're_ the Purple Ranger now?" Chase stammered.

Riley rolled his eyes under his visor. "Real smooth, Kiwi Boy."

Philip could almost picture the matter-of-fact scientist rolling her eyes. " _Yes. We're on our way_." The signal cut out.

"Excuse me, Sir Chase," Ivan spoke up. "Perhaps we could return our attention to the giant green monster outside our window?"

"I still don't believe it," Chase muttered.

As if to add insult to injury, the Greenzilla swung its' tail at the MegaZord again, knocking it backwards. Philip smacked his fist into his hand. "Enough of this!" he declared. "PachyZord Wrecking Ball!" He summoned the specialty weapon of the PachyZord and lashed out at the Greenzilla. It struck home, slamming into the green lizard dead center, but he couldn't compensate and it swung back, nailing the MegaZord in the chestplate.

"Dude, _really_?" Riley asked from beside him, getting back on his feet.

"Someone needed to do something," Philip argued, ignoring the pain in his neck from the whiplash.

The cockpit window filled with a bright beam of light and Philip threw his hands over his visor and cried out in surprise. The MegaZord landed on its' back again, and all five rangers dropped to the floor in pain as the inside temperature of the cockpit began to rise.

"It too strong," Koda grimaced from across the room.

"Gettin' a little warm in here guys," Riley agreed.

The Greenzilla drove its' tail into the MegaZord, and the entire thing fell apart.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : (in my best Tony Stark) "Oh, it's good to be back!" Finally had some spare time, the husband's not home so he doesn't have to watch Rangers and I'm about to knock this arc out of the park (along with a certain Greenzilla). Stay tuned!


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer : I don't own the characters. If I did, Jared Blakiston would've gotten way more than some ADR and some walk on lines.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 19:**

The next thing Philip knew, he was waking up on the ground, out of morph, staring into the gray skies. His head was killing him. His shoulder was on fire. "What happened?" he asked weakly, rolling to see Ivan next to him. The dark-haired knight was clutching his stomach. "Are you all right, Sir Ivan?" Memories of the car crash swirled and he closed his eyes to drive them away. _Everyone is all right. We are all okay._

There was a deafening sound of metal on metal, and Philip opened his eyes to see the Greenzilla looming above them, blocking the light through the trees. But there was something else. Something very large, and very purple…and it was fighting back.

"Kendall," Koda whispered, sounding relieved. The caveman had a gash on his forehead and a rip in his blue shirt below his collarbones.

There was a swirl of red smoke and Keeper appeared in the middle of the group, helping Chase and Riley to their feet. "You're okay!" Riley said.

"As are Kendall and Shelby," Keeper replied, "but Tyler stayed on Sledge's ship to find the Red Energem."

"He's up there _alone_?" Riley ran a hand through his hair. "We gotta help him somehow."

"Perhaps the PlesioZord can keep the Greenzilla occupied until we return with Sir Tyler," Ivan suggested.

"We'll have to hope so. Let's go, guys." Chase drew his revolver and morphed again as the others followed suit. "We can take the PteraZord and go after Tyler in Sledge's ship."

"Wait…now _we're_ going into outer space?" Philip's jaw dropped.

"We must go after him," Ivan said staunchly, and called the PteraZord. The five of them took a running jump and met the PteraZord mid-charge. Ivan took the wheel, so to speak, and threw the PteraZord into a screaming turn like a fighter jet. "There's the clearing," he noted as they flew past. "Which means, if we head straight-"

" _Look_!" Riley called out urgently, and pointed. At their two o'clock high, something dark and huge was falling from the sky. "Is that-?"

"Sledge's ship!" Koda identified the giant mass first.

"No…" Philip's eyes watched the falling ship. "What about Tyler?"

Something small went rocketing past the PteraZord, and Chase pointed. "There!" Ivan put the Ptera in a nosedive, following the object. Which wasn't an object. It was a human. In a Red Ranger suit.

" _Tyler!"_ Chase yelled desperately. "Catch him, Ivan!"

"I am doing my best!" the knight of Zandar said, focused completely on controlling the Zord to match Tyler's descent. The jaw of the PteraZord opened, and a moment later, Tyler was sprawled unceremoniously on the ground in front of Philip's console. Philip reached down to pull him to his feet.

"Nice…catch," Tyler breathed, popping his helmet on for some fresh air.

"You like to live dangerously, Sir Tyler," Ivan grinned as he turned the PteraZord back the way they'd come.

"What happened up there?" Riley demanded.

"Later," Tyler promised. "We've got something bigger to worry about," he added, as the Greenzilla filled the screen. "Let's get over there and help the ladies out."

"Very chivalrous of you," Philip noted as they disappeared in bursts of light, re-materializing in the cockpit of the PlesioZord. It was similar to the MegaZord except the interior was awash in purple light…and the eight Rangers were inside…together.

"You got your Energem back!" Shelby enthused.

"Actually, Get-bot got it," Tyler corrected her with a nod at Miss Morgan. "And Sledge is history. His ship crashed.

"Tyler, you could have been-" Shelby was stopped by Tyler putting a hand on her shoulder.

"My Dad would have said it's all part of the adventure," he told her. He looked around. "We've never been stronger. Now let's end this for _good!"_

"Right!" everyone agreed.

"Activate PlesioCharge MegaZord PachyRex formation!" Miss Morgan ordered, and Philip watched as the giant red T-Rex and his smaller PachyZord joined up with the massive PlesioZord. He clenched a fist and felt the wrecking ball mace swing confidently.

"Dinosaur might, ready to fight!" he intoned with the others. The Greenzilla unleashed a burst of the same burning light as before, but the Zord deftly stepped out of the path.

"Time to take down one last monster," Tyler said from his position in the front. Philip swung the wrecking ball, landing a good-and this time, controlled-hit to the side of the Greenzilla's head. Miss Morgan followed, ramming it in the soft spot on the neck with the head of the PlesioZord. The Greenzilla tried the tactic of the tendrils again, but the sharp teeth in the PlesioZord's mouth chewed them up and spit them out, tossing them to the side like a candy wrapper.

"T-Rex Blast!" Tyler yelled out the next command. The concentrated burst of energy from the chestplate of the PlesioZord sent the Greenzilla staggering.

Tyler pulled his revolver. The others followed suit. Philip took aim out the cockpit window. "Galactic Blast!" he cried out in unison, and watched as a great ball of yellow energy enveloped the Greenzilla , drove it off its' feet, over the water, and exploded in a sunburst of energy.

It was over. They'd won. "Monster extinct!" the others yelled excitedly, but Philip was too tired to join them.

* * *

Back at the command center, Philip iced his shoulder and watched Kendall display the Purple Energem in the stalactite next to the Graphite Energem. Everyone else was in high spirits. Chase was rolling around on his skateboard as Tyler and Shelby danced around the room to an N-Zed boys song on the radio.

"Eight of the energems have been returned," Keeper announced, and the room went quiet. "Thank you, Rangers."

"What happens now?" Philip asked. "Sledge is destroyed but…there are still two Energems out there somewhere, correct?" He gingerly set the ice pack down on the lab table and shrugged back into his suit jacket.

"Ivan, Koda and I will continue to search for the last two," Kendall explained. The room fell quiet as what she was implying set in. "With Sledge gone, the rest of you can return to your lives, do whatever you like," she continued.

"So..it's over?" Tyler asked. He sounded….disappointed.

"Until the last Energem is found, you will remain bound to your dinosaur spirit," Keeper reminded them. "And if ever we need your help, you'll know." Tyler's face brightened a little.

"It was an honor to fight alongside all of you," Philip said suddenly. Everyone looked at him. "When I'm here with all of you…my other life seems so far away." He ran a hand through his hair. "My life comes with its' own challenges, but the six of you….seven, now," he corrected with a nod to Kendall, "remind me that it's possible to handle anything this life throws at someone…" He grinned. "Especially with good friends in your corner."

"The honor was ours, Your Highness," Ivan assured him.

"Again, I must respectfully disagree," Philip told the knight. "This honor…is all mine."

"I hope you find the person who crashed your car," Riley said.

"If you need us to come over there and help out," Tyler told him, "we'll be there."

"I'm sure you would," Philip replied. "But as I recall, you have a father to find, and," he added, with a wink at Shelby, "perhaps a new adventure awaits you here instead." Shelby's face tinged pink, but Philip noticed she had hold of Tyler's hand.

"Well, I'm headed home to New Zealand," Chase said, cutting into the emotional atmosphere. "I can't wait to see my mum and Chloe." He turned sober. "You know, guys, if you're ever Down Under…look me up?"

There was a moment. Then, Koda broke it, wrapping Tyler in a full bear hug. "My family!" he cried, choking up, and it spiraled into a giant group hug. Philip barely felt his shoulder. _Family_ …

Indeed they were, albeit not a very traditional one. As Philip said his final goodbye and made his way out to the service elevator, he felt surprisingly bolstered. He had great friends in his corner here. He had Thomas and Margaret and Martin back home. They would help each other get through the upcoming state funeral.

And they would get to the bottom of this mystery, whatever it took.

* * *

 **Author's Note** **: And so now...Philip has an extended flight back to Zandar as I wait for the second half of Dino Super Charge to pop on Netflix. I'm sorry, again, that it's taken so long to get an update. Thanks for reading, reviewing and lurking ;)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note: Hello Summer! Hopefully with three less classes and one less job for the summer I'll have more time to write! And after a conversation with a friend who's a writer himself, I think I finally know where my little royal mystery is going ;)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY**

 _If you need us to come over there and help out, we'll be there._

Philip pressed his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes. He was starting to wish he'd taken Tyler up on his offer. It had been nearly a month since Sledge's defeat at the hands of the Dino Charge rangers and life in Zandar had almost returned to normal.

There was no sign of the vehicle that had hit Philip, Thomas and the others. The capital police were scouring repair shops throughout the small country searching for a black vehicle with front end damage but nothing had turned up. There had been talk of perhaps dredging the few small bodies of water Zandar had that were large enough to dump a car. No further photos appeared in the papers due to increased security around the castle, and Philip had had no public engagements, so there'd been no further incidents.

But oh, was it _frustrating_! Alvin's state funeral had been a grand affair, something Philip was sure the man would have been amused by. "I just drive car," he would have shrugged it off. And despite public pressure to find the culprit, everyone was at a dead end.

"Perhaps the incident with the vehicle was just that, an accident," Thomas had offered to Philip one morning during a sparring session. The older man's foot had healed nicely, and Philip's shoulder was back to normal. "They meant to scare us, not run us off the road."

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," Philip had argued. "Whether he meant to or not, it happened, and a good man is dead. I want this person _found_!" He kicked the pad in Thomas's hand with renewed force, and Thomas had to shake his hand out. Philip grimaced. "Sorry, Thomas."

"It's fine," Thomas said easily. "If you can hit that hard when you're just the Prince, I'd hate to feel it when you add in that shiny suit of yours. I would say we should try it sometime, but I'm afraid I'd lose my hand. Speaking of," he continued, reaching for a bottle of water, "any word from your friends in America?"

Philip shook his head. "I imagine they're enjoying a well-deserved reprieve," he said. "I've not even received an email from Shelby, which is unusual-she had a wonderful habit of keeping me up to date with things." He sat down on the lounger. "I guess it's a good sign she hasn't emailed; it means nothing has happened that requires the Graphite Ranger's attention."

He took the cap off a bottle of water and downed half of it in one shot, thinking.

"You miss it, don't you?" Thomas asked him. Philip's eyes shot up to his friend and mentor. The older man had sunk into Philip's chair behind his desk, touching his fingertips together and looking at his young friend.

"I-" Philip started to protest, then chuckled. "Is it that obvious?" he asked Thomas.

"Only if you're looking," Thomas teased him.

"I miss…I think I miss feeling like I was a part of something _bigger_ , you know?" Philip confessed.

"That…what'd you call it…Megazord, thing? That was pretty big, huh?" Thomas joked.

Philip grimaced. "Getting knocked about in that MegaZord…I think my teeth still rattle at the memory." He ran a hand over his face. "I miss the team. I miss doing some good. Not being able to find Alvin's killer is making me feel utterly _useless_."

"Speaking of useless," Thomas said with a twinkle in his eye, "any word from the ex-Princess of Zandar?"

Philip snorted. "You're on a roll today. Thankfully, no. Everything is officially official, as it were, and apart from the occasional mention of us in the tabloids…I'm a free man."

"Do you think…" Thomas chose his words carefully, "you think maybe she was behind it? Her and her father? The accident, I mean."

"Annabeth proved to be after her own agenda," Philip said after a moment, "but I never saw anything in her that suggested homicidal tendencies. As for her father…He was full of spite and vinegar, but I don't think he's a killer." He looked at Thomas. "You've been thinking about this a lot, eh?"

"No more than you, Sire," Thomas countered, and Philip conceded the point. Without anything Ranger-related to keep his mind from things, the accident had been all Philip had thought about for more than a month.

There was a knock at the door, and Philip and Thomas both looked up to see Martin coming into the room, leaning heavily on a silver cane. The man had several pins in his knee and foot, but had returned to duty as Philip's head of security. "Afternoon, gents," he greeted the both of them. Thomas vacated Philip's chair so Martin could sit down.

"How's the leg?" Philip asked him.

"Still attached," Martin said easily. He looked at the two of them. "Philip, I wanted to let you know that we hired someone in Alvin's place."

Philip cringed. He'd been dreading this. He knew it was going to have to happen, but Alvin had been around since Giles, his mother's driver, had retired. It was like replacing a family member. "And?" he pressed.

Martin pressed the intercom button. "Margaret, can you send him in, please?" A moment later, the heavy door swung open and a young man about Philip's age came into the office. He had short blonde hair cut in a military-style crop, blue eyes framed by a pair of square-framed glasses, and wore a crisp black polo shirt and khaki pants. He stopped just inside the door, closing it and then waiting.

"Prince Philip, allow me to introduce Nicholas de Latour," Martin gestured to the young man, who took a few more steps into the room and stood ramrod straight in front of the desk. "Mr. de Latour, Prince Philip III of Zandar."

Nicholas turned so he was facing Philip, who stood now on formality. "Your Highness," he greeted him with a stiff bow.

Philip studied him before making the 'rise' gesture. "Mr. de Latour," he acknowledged.

"A pleasure, sir," Nicholas said. "I wish I was getting this position under better circumstances."

"As do I," Philip replied. He looked at Martin. "I trust you'll take care of his briefing?"

"Of course, Sire," Martin nodded, slowly rising from Philip's chair and meeting Nicholas. He gestured for the door. "We'll go over those security protocols now, though Nicholas won't need much training. He is a former lieutenant in the Zandarian Army."

"I see." Philip studied Nicholas intently. "Should you have any concerns, Mr. de Latour, please direct them to Martin. He's been head of my security since my father passed away almost twenty years ago. He knows every inch of this castle inside and out."

Nicholas nodded. "I look forward to learning what I can, Your Highness. Thank you." With another little bow, Martin followed him from the room.

Thomas waited until the door closed. "He's so stiff, a cardboard cutout has more flex."

Philip collapsed into laughter.

* * *

"Nicholas is settling into his duties nicely," Thomas commented as Philip ran through some cooldown stretches after their morning workout. Philip glanced sideways at him and Thomas smirked. "Martin _really_ should have mentioned to him that the fleet vehicles are all manual."

Philip smirked. "That is security's version of hazing," he explained to Thomas. "They do it on purpose."

Thomas's jaw dropped as Philip stood up, pulling one arm over his shoulder to stretch it out. He grinned as Thomas processed what he'd just told him. "I learn something new every day," he said finally, and Philip grinned.

"Proof that you can indeed teach old dogs new tricks," he joked and Thomas threw Philip's charcoal gray sweatshirt at him. Philip caught it. "Take it easy, my cell phone is in there-and it's ringing.." He frowned as he pulled the silver smart phone from the kangaroo pocket. "California area code," he noted. "Prince Philip speaking," he answered it, keeping his tone professional.

" _Prince Philip?"_ The voice belonged to _Koda_.

"Koda?" Philip's jaw dropped. "It's good to hear from you, my friend." Briefly, he wondered how Koda even knew how to work a phone. He'd given his personal phone number to Miss Morgan before he'd left the States...so why was _Koda_ calling and not her?

" _You too. We have problem,"_ the Blue Ranger told him. Philip heard the sounds of someone asking for the phone, and then a new voice picked up the conversation.

" _I wasn't sure who else to call or what to do,"_ Tyler Navarro's voice explained. " _Sorry if I'm interrupting you or anything."_

"It's fine," Philip said earnestly. "What's going on? Koda said there's a problem?"

" _It's the others. They're all missing."_

Philip sat down on the edge of his desk. "What do you mean, 'missing,'?" he repeated. Thomas looked over at him, and Philip held up a finger in a 'wait' gesture as Tyler relayed what was happening in California. Something about an ice age.

" _I don't know if you can help at all, Koda and I are gonna try to do something, but you're part of the team, so I just wanted to tell you to be careful, and watch your back."_

"Thank you for the warning. If you need me, I can be there in half a day," Philip promised him. Tyler hung up and Philip set the phone down on the desk.

"What's going on?" Thomas asked him.

"Trouble," Philip said grimly, and repeated the situation. "The others are missing. Tyler and Koda are the only ones left. They told me to watch my back."

"Do they need you in California?"

Philip ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know," he replied. "I don't know if I should go or stay."

"If you go, you might run into the same danger the others did," Thomas said.

"That's what I don't understand!" Philip got up and paced the floor. "Sledge is gone. The danger should have passed, but…if there's something _else_ out there…" He looked at the desk, where the Graphite energem sat on his computer keyboard, glowing its' light gray light. He looked up at Thomas. "Is this my life now? Spending my time torn between two duties on either side of the world?"

Thomas was quiet, unsure if Philip actually wanted his opinion. When the silence lengthened and he realized that Philip was waiting for an answer, he chose his words carefully. "You knew it would be challenging when you started looking for the energem in the first place," Thomas pointed out. "You told me once you hoped you could balance being both."

As if to emphasize the point, Margaret's voice came over the intercom. " _I have those papers for your signature, Prince Philip. Is now a good time?"_

Philip sighed. "And right now, I need to be a ruler over a Ranger. If Tyler calls again, I'll go but…" He ran a hand through his hair. "They can handle this." He shrugged. "Besides, it sounds as if I'm going to have enough here to keep me busy."

* * *

 _He threw the beer can away and cracked open another one. It was the last one in the six-pack and if he didn't do something soon, he wouldn't have the money to buy any more. He'd gotten too close with the car; he hadn't meant to run them off the road. Or kill a man. The tabloid had paid him serious money for the photo of Philip in his bedroom; he'd just wanted another good photo. But he'd screwed up._

 _He'd driven the car over the border and sent it into a gully, then walked back to cover his tracks. They were looking for his car in Zandar, but it wasn't there._

 _He'd tried to follow the prince to the US but he'd been drunk and missed the flight. The accident had rattled him. He'd missed enough work that his supervisor had fired him because of it._

 _Stupid Prince Philip and all his security. He was going to need to find a way around it or he'd lose his meal ticket._


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer : I don't own the characters. If I did, Jarred Blakiston would've gotten way more than walk on lines and group hugs. **

**Author's Note : It's a two-fer today! This one and Legendary Legacy _both_ get an update. Hooray for free time!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY ONE**

"Please don't make me," Philip begged. "Anything in the world but this." There was a definite undercurrent of his 'old' self in his voice.

Margaret snickered. "You're afraid of this?"

"Really, Philip, out of everything in the _world_ ," Thomas added meaningfully, " _this_ scares you?"

Philip held up the embossed invite in his hand. "More than anything," he told them. "I _hated_ these as a kid. I seriously doubt that's changed in twenty-some years." He studied it. "And you spelled 'cordially' wrong," he told Margaret, handing the invitation back.

She glared at him, her ears tinged pink with embarrassment. "It's one night, Philip. One night. One party."

"One night of brown nosing with the Zandarian elite," Thomas teased him. Philip hit him not-so-gently in the shoulder.

"Glad you're enjoying this," he told them both. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "You know, the last time I was at one of these things, I met Annabeth."

"And thus began your reign of terror," Margaret muttered under her breath, and Philip shot her a Look. She held his gaze. "It's for the kids," she pressed, and Philip's head dropped to his arms on his desk in defeat.

"Fine. Send the invites." He looked at her. "And if you'd please make sure that the one to the Matthias residence gets lost in the mail?"

"Of course, Sire," Margaret said smoothly, scooping the invitation off his desk and disappearing from the room.

"So…a benefit for the King Philip Children's Hospital. Guess this means I get to see you in a monkey suit, eh, Philip?" Thomas asked Philip, rising from his place leaning by the fireplace. "This should be fun."

Philip pointed at him. "Joke's on you, Thomas. Those invites include a line for a plus one." He grinned. "As my personal trainer, body guard, and my friend…you're coming too."

Thomas cringed.

* * *

Philip straightened his tie and looked in the mirror, brushing a piece of his hair off his forehead. The dark charcoal-gray suit fit him perfectly, but then, it had been tailored to specifications. He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the mirror. This was bringing back memories, ones he'd thought he'd buried.

He hadn't thought about his mother in a long time. Queen Irene had always chose his clothes for events like this. He had someone that could've done it for him, but she always did it for him. "I rarely get to spend time with my boy," she'd tell them. "This way, I can see how much he's grown."

 _If you could only see me now_ , he thought. "A prince and a Power Ranger," he said aloud, stepping back from the mirror. "I'd say I've grown quite a bit." With one last glance, he palmed the Graphite energem off the dresser and opened his bedroom door to see Thomas standing outside. He was fiddling with his bow tie. "Don't you look dashing," Philip teased him.

"Oh shut up," Thomas replied good-naturedly. He nodded to Martin, who was standing further up the hall. "He's ready to go, Martin."

Martin gestured and Philip walked between the two of them. Although the threat had seemingly ended, Philip knew his friends and staff weren't pretending the danger was any less. He stayed between them past the long bank of windows leading from one end of the castle to the other. The courtyard doors were swung back and Philip could hear classical music on strings floating through the open doors. "We're arriving," Martin spoke into his mic, and then he stepped back, allowing Philip access to the courtyard.

Flashes of the last one of these he'd attended with his mother flew past his eyes. The shrubs and trees had white lantern lights woven through their branches. A string quartet was set up near the doors, Mozart floating through the air. People were chatting in low tones, and Philip saw the director of the Children's Hospital speaking to someone on the far side, a blonde woman in a shimmering blue dress. He made his way across the yard, nodding to Nick de Latour on his way past the young man, who was standing watch. Nick gave him a polite nod and returned his gaze to watching the crowd.

Philip stepped up next to Director David Franklin, but before he could say anything, realized who he was speaking to, and had to try _very_ hard to keep his jaw from hitting the floor.

"Your Highness," Margaret greeted him easily, giving him a short bow. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and the dress fit her like a glove. She was wearing a simple pearl jewelry set, and tonight, she wasn't wearing her glasses, her green eyes sparkling under the white lights.

Philip swallowed. "Margaret. You did a wonderful job organizing this evening." He looked at Director Franklin and offered his hand. "Wouldn't you say so, Director?"

"I can't tell you how appreciative I am of this," the director praised Margaret. He turned to Philip. "And thank you," he added, nodding respectfully to the prince. "The children will be very excited."

"Anything I can do to help," Philip responded. He swiped two champagne glasses off a tray and held one out to the director. "May this night bring in plenty of change-especially the kind that funds new equipment," he joked.

The glass in his hand shattered, and Philip heard Margaret scream. The music stopped and the screaming got louder. Philip felt himself thrown to the ground as a loud _pop_ rang out, something cracking the stone of the fountain nearby. " _Stay down_!" he heard Nick de Latour hiss in his ear. "Anyone have eyes?" he demanded into his mic.

" _Shot appeared to come from the south,"_ Martin's voice said. " _Proceed to courtyard doors."_

Philip was hauled up by his collar, and Nick kept himself between Philip and the shooter's alleged location as they threaded their way through the tables. "Where's Margaret and Director Franklin?" Philip demanded as they ducked through the crowd.

"My priority is you, Sire," Nick said, pushing Philip ahead of him and into the castle. "I'll get you a status as soon as I can."

Philip's mind was racing. _What the hell had just happened?_ His hand drifted to his pants pocket, where the Graphite Energem sat against his thigh. _Someone was shooting at me…_ Where were Thomas and Margaret? Anger burned through the fear. _It's happening again._ He wanted to morph right there and go back out and face whoever this was. But he knew he couldn't. Nick led him to his office and put him on the floor away from the windows.

"Don't move, Prince Philip. I'll be back." The door closed behind him, leaving Philip in the office in silence.

Alone, Philip buried his face in his hands and screamed in frustration.

* * *

It felt like hours later when the door opened again. "Philip!" Thomas gasped out, yanking his young friend up by the shoulders and giving him a bone-crushing hug. Philip returned it gratefully. "Thank God you're all right," Philip told Thomas.

"What about Margaret?" Philip interrupted. "She was…she was standing right next to the director and I."

"She's fine," Thomas reassured him, and Philip closed his eyes in relief. "Cuts from the broken glass, but otherwise physically, she's fine."

"Where is she?"

"Getting questioned by security," Thomas told him. "I think we're both next," he added.

"What about…everyone else?" Philip asked. He swallowed hard. "Did-did anyone…"

"The guy was a terrible shot," Thomas said. "The only casualty was the glass in your hand. And the fountain got a graze. All the other shots…into the trees or tables. No one else was hit."

The door opened and Martin came in. "Hell of a night," he began by way of greeting. "You're both all right?" he asked. The two men nodded. Martin limped to the lounger and sat down, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Jesus."

"You look like hell, Martin," Philip told his head of security. "How are you holding up?"

Martin coughed out a short laugh. "Honestly? Thinking about retiring. There's never been so many security issues in the history of Zandar. I'm obviously losing my touch."

"It's not your fault," Philip rushed to assure him. He looked at Thomas. "Whoever this person is…they're obviously after me." He ran a hand through his hair, pulling out some pieces of glass. "Perhaps…perhaps it would be best if I left for awhile."

"Absolutely not," Martin cut in. "After tonight, there's no _way_ I'm letting you out of my sight."

Philip stood up. His eyes were blazing. Months of frustration were finally coming to a boil, and he was _done_ feeling like that. "You're going to give me _orders_ , Martin?" He shook his head and barked out a short laugh. "This is twice in as many months that someone has tried to end my life. _My_ life," he added. "They've killed one person on my staff. It was almost many more tonight. If I'm not in country, they've no one to go after. It's very clear this evening that tonight, they are after _me._ " He looked at Thomas. "I would never forgive myself, Martin, if you had taken a bullet tonight. Or Thomas. Or Nick, or Margaret, God forbid." He threw his hands in the air. "I have made friends in the States. I can stay there until things cool back down again."

"Cool down?" Martin repeated. "Philip, it took them a month to build between the accident and this shooting. What's to say the events are even connected?"

"What's to say they're not?" Philip countered.

"Both times you were with someone else. At the hospital, we were in the car with you. Tonight, you were standing next to the director of the hospital. What if it's connected to _that_ , and not to _you_?"

"Then this is a perfect opportunity to test that theory," Philip advised. "I'll go to the States. If something happens there, we'll know I'm the target."

"You're going to offer yourself as _bait_ ," Martin laughed incredulously. "If your mother could hear you-or your _father-"_

"I very nearly joined them!" Philip exploded. "I will not lose anyone in my family _again_ before it is their time to go!"

Martin and Thomas were both silent. Philip was seething. He was pacing the room. Now would have been an excellent time for a training session, because he was very worked up and would have loved to have hit something.

"I'll agree to it," Martin said finally. Philip stopped pacing.

"Excuse me?"

"I'll agree to it," his head of security repeated. "One _one_ condition."

"Name it," Philip said. "Though I don't promise I'll agree to it."

"Thomas and Nick go with you."

Philip paused. Thomas was one thing. He knew Philip's secret. But to have Nick come along, to try to keep it from the newest member of his security team (the one with the freshest eyes)…

 _But if I don't agree, then I have to stay. And I risk putting people in danger._

He looked at Thomas, and the two of them had an unspoken conversation with their eyes. Finally, Philip turned to Martin.

"Agreed," he said finally.

* * *

Pictures of the aftermath of the gala flooded the papers and flooded the tabloids. By the time they hit the stands, however, Philip, Thomas, and Nick de Latour were on a private jet to the States. Margaret had been less than pleased to see them go. She'd made the arrangements and then left Philip and Thomas alone in her office.

And that bothered Philip more than he thought it would. He'd wanted to explain his decision to her, but Martin had insisted if he was going to go, then he needed to get on with it. So he'd left without a word to her. _I need to call, or write_ , he decided. _Perhaps once we're settled. She deserves to know._

 _She deserves to know a lot of things..._

The plane touched down at the San Francisco airport, a place Philip was beginning to know all too well. They went easily through customs, and Nick had procured a vehicle for them. "Where to from here, sir?" he asked Philip through the divider.

Philip glanced at Martin. "North," he said finally. "The city of Amber Beach, please."


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY TWO**

Philip stepped out of the car into the humid northern California heat. "I'll be right back," he told Thomas and Nick.

Nick's head popped from the driver's side. "I'm going with you, Sire," he informed him.

"That won't be necessary," Philip responded, trying to think fast. They were parked at the Amber Beach Dinosaur Museum. Nick couldn't go in with him…there'd be no way for him to get downstairs to the Ranger lab! He waved a hand at the museum. "I'll be in a crowd of people."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Like you were at the gala?" he countered.

 _Damn it_. "Mr. de Latour, I'm quite positive no one from Zandar is aware I've skipped country," he improvised. "It will only be a moment. I just need to say hello to a friend," he added. "The museum has excellent security." _In the form of six Power Rangers_. "I won't be but a moment," he repeated, donning a pair of Oakley sunglasses. "Besides," he added, gesturing down at his wardrobe, "I don't even look like myself." He was wearing a pair of gray jeans and a black t-shirt with Storm Chargers scrawled across it in bright blue ink.

"I think you'll find," Thomas spoke up popping his head out the window at Nick, "that when he gets like this, it's best to let him go," he said, injecting just a touch of annoyance into his voice. Philip knew it was an act…at least, he _hoped_ it was. Not waiting for an answer, he took off at a jog for the front entrance of the museum and let himself inside, paid the admission fee, and made his way toward the interior secret entrance of the Dino Charge rangers' base. There was a tour group near the massive T-Rex skeleton, and he hung at the fringes in the back, then pushed the door open and slipped inside.

The halls were silent. The door to the base was a nondescript sliding door that seemed to open only from the energy given off by an energem. The door slid back and Philip was met by the barrel of a bright yellow blaster. He held up his hands on instinct-for all the good they would do stopping a bullet-and gasped, "Don't shoot!"

" _Philip_?"

Cautiously, Philip lowered his hands to see Tyler Navarro and Koda both staring at him, slackjawed. "Hello, friends," he said. "Sorry to, ah, drop in unannounced."

"You okay!" Koda cried, rushing forward and lifting him into a massive bear hug. Philip coughed and patted Koda on the back.

"Yes, the shooter missed," Philip replied. "It was close, though."

"Wait, what?" Tyler asked him, sticking his blaster into his belt. "You were _shot_ at?"

"Well, yes. I assume it made your news-at the very least, it must have made it on Glitz World-"

" _Oh_." Realization dawned on Tyler. "No, no, Koda's happy you're okay because you're not in a giant block of ice. I mean, it's good you didn't get shot at either, but-"

Philip held up a hand. " _What_ are you talking about?" he interrupted. He looked at Koda, whose hands were wrapped around his stomach nervously. It was then he realized that…it was Tyler and Koda…and nobody else. "Where are the others?"

Tyler ran a hand through his hair. "Ah…they're missing," he explained. "Koda and I…we were attacked by this guy…Ice Age. We fought him once before, he tried to steal Shelby's energem and mine, before we were even Rangers, or even knew what they were."

Philip's mind was racing. This was not what he'd expected arriving back in Amber Beach. Sledge was _gone_. The threat should've been over…and yet… "We have to find them," he decided. "How can I help?"

"It all my fault," Koda spoke up quietly from the computer equipment. Philip looked over at him. The caveman from another time was sitting on the edge of it, staring over at the display of Energems.

"Koda-" Tyler began, but Philip got to him first. He went over to Koda and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I find that very hard to believe," he told Koda. "You're the bravest warrior I know."

"Koda, tell me exactly what happened out there," Tyler encouraged him, stepping around to his other side. He looked sidelong at Philip. A silent, _thanks for being here_. Philip inclined his head, and waited for Koda to begin.

He'd never seen Koda so rattled. Even in the face of certain destruction the day Sledge had tried to take their gems, as the Greenzilla tried to rip the MegaZord apart, Koda had remained steadfast. His friend right now was…well, if Philip had to pick a word…Koda was _scared_.

"I try to fight against Ice Age," Koda spoke up after a moment. Philip noticed he was unconsciously rubbing his hands up and down his arms. "It bring back many scary memories, from long time ago."

"Oh…" Tyler nodded understandingly. "I get it." Philip looked at him, and Tyler explained, "Koda bonded with his Energem saving his little brother from a sabre tooth tiger," he said. "Koda fell off the side of a cliff into a lake, and it froze over before he could get out. But 'cause he was bonded to the Blue Energem, he didn't age, and he didn't die. He just…it was kind of like a stasis."

"Koda…" Philip was speechless. Koda had told him that he'd saved his brother from a sabre tooth tiger, but he hadn't told him the rest. He pulled his friend into a side hug, and Tyler put his arm around Koda on the other side. "What….what happened then?" Philip asked.

Koda took up the story. "Many years later…explorers find me. It Kendall, and Chase. Kendall make Dino Blaze Charger to melt ice." Koda closed his eyes. "Ice hold me for 100,000 years." His hands tried to move up and down his arms again, but Philip and Tyler held them. Philip understood now.

"It's like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," Philip realized. He exchanged a glance with Tyler, realized that the Red Ranger was thinking the same thing. _That explains why he's rubbing his arms like that…it's like he's cold…_

"Today," Koda continued miserably, "ice come up my arms again. Want to catch me again, but I escape." He looked at Tyler. "Then, I ran away."

"The others would not blame you for running away, Koda," Philip reassured him. "I can promise you that."

Tyler started. "Wait…you _escaped_ the ice?"

Koda nodded. As he did, alarms sounded throughout the room. "Alien bio signs," Tyler reported. He studied one of the monitors. "Ice Age is in the city." He looked at Koda and Philip. "I have an idea," he told them both. "But…we're gonna have to be frozen," he added, looking at Koda specifically.

Koda's face went pale. "No," he stammered. "No, no no. I can't."

"Koda," Philip told him, with a glance at Tyler, "sometimes the best way to face your fear is to attack it headfirst." He clapped a hand on Koda's shoulder, a gesture Koda used often with him to signify solidarity. "You can do this. I have faith in you, my friend. So does Tyler."

"Absolutely," Tyler agreed. "Before we face that monster again, you're gonna teach me _exactly_ how you escaped the ice today." He looked at Philip. "How about it, Prince? You in?"

Philip thought of Thomas and Nick out in the parking lot. _I have probably already overstayed my welcome,_ he thought to himself. But then, the others were in trouble… He pulled out his phone, sent a quick text to Thomas. One single word.

 _Stall_.

"I am with you," he told Tyler. "While you two are being frozen in ice…what am I going to be doing?"

Tyler grinned.

* * *

Outside the museum, Thomas closed his phone in mock exasperation. "It would appear Philip stopped off at the diner inside the museum for a bite," he told Nick, rolling his eyes for show.

Nick's hand hit the steering wheel. "Does he not understand that someone tried to kill him a few days ago?" He moved to get out of the car.

"Let's hold off on that," Thomas told Nick, thinking quickly. "We're able to see everyone that comes in and out of the museum, here," he said. "Philip will be fine. We've been here before, they have good security. I don't want to make a big deal out of him buying a Bronto Burger."

"You've been here before?" Nick asked. He frowned. "Why?"

"Ah….the Prince seems to have a newly-acquired taste for events of the past," Thomas explained.

Nick was quiet for a moment, staring out the front window. Then, "So he _doesn't_ have an American girlfriend?"

Thomas burst out laughing.

* * *

Tyler, Philip and Koda skidded around a corner and came across a pale blue and white monster, with a handful of Vivix. "So this is the infamous Ice Age," Philip noted, studying the creature. He looked at Tyler and Koda. "And you're sure about this?"

Tyler nodded, grinning at Koda. "Yeah. Of course. What could go wrong?"

Koda eyed Tyler. "Lots," the caveman informed him, and Tyler laughed nervously. "Well, here we go. Remember, Philip, don't let them see you."

"I'll be invisible," Philip promised.

Tyler and Koda ran into the street. "What have you done with our friends?" Tyler demanded of Ice Age.

Ice Age's chuckle was harsh and grating on Philip's ears. "Ah. Looking for your friends? You've found your doom!"

"I don't think so!" Tyler countered. He pulled his Energem from his pocket. "Energize!" he and Koda yelled together, morphing instantly and charging toward Ice Age.

"Freeze!" Ice Age called back to them, lifting his hands. A small mini-blizzard erupted from his hands (claws?) and stopped Tyler and Koda dead in their tracks. Moments later, the two were encased in two massive blocks of ice.

 _I hope you know what you're doing,_ Philip thought, as the Vivix and Ice Age hauled the frozen Rangers away. Philip waited a moment, let them get a little ahead, and then followed.

* * *

Philip tailed the group to an industrial park on the outskirts of Amber Beach. What he saw as he poked his head from behind a Quonset terrified him. There were five blocks of ice already waiting. _Miss Morgan, Riley, Shelby, Sir Ivan, Chase…_

"Master Heckyl!" Ice Age singsonged. "I caught all seven-"

 _Eight, you idiot_ , Philip thought to himself. These alien menaces had a serious counting problem.

"-Range, oh Master Snide. I-I didn't realize-" Ice Age was backtracking quickly, and Philip could see why. The figure guarding the other Rangers was a tall creature that looked to be wearing some kind of metal armor. _Master Snide_. _The new villain in town_ , Philip presumed.

"I'm in control now," Snide was telling Ice Age. He walked up and down the row of ice blocks. "So. These are the Power Rangers. A tray of ice cubes," he smirked. He looked at Tyler and Koda. "Ah. These two are morphed." He stepped up to the two blocks. "And their Energems will be _mine_." He produced a blade out of nowhere. "Time to slice the ice!"

Philip tensed. _Almost_ …

Snide bisected the ice blocks with one swing. Another stroke shattered both blocks…and Tyler and Koda's Ranger suits collapsed to the ground in blue and red heaps. Snide roared. "Those Ranger _rats_! You caught _nothing_!" he railed on Ice Age.

"Oh, we're here!" Tyler assured him, leaping out from behind a stack of oil barrels.

"Just not where you think!" Koda added, joining him.

Philip stood up, one finger on the trigger of his blaster. He popped in a charger and spun the barrel. "Dino Blaze Charger!" he announced, aiming at the five blocks of iced Rangers. "Engage!" He pulled the trigger. A burst of concentrated heat and light exploded from the barrel, engulfing the area, sending Ice Age and the Vivix, and Snide, flying.

The five ice blocks shattered. Ivan, Riley, Shelby, Chase and Miss Morgan collapsed to the ground, teeth chattering, but _alive_. "W-What happened?" Riley shivered.

"Just a little cold snap," Tyler assured him as he and Koda joined them.

"Sir Tyler!" Ivan said, relieved. And then, he saw Philip, who rushed to join them. He studied Philip's attire. "Y-Your Highness?" Ivan gaped.

Philip laughed. "In the flesh, Sir Ivan. Though perhaps not as you expected. But," he continued, reaching into his pockets. "I come bearing gifts!" He held out five glittering Energems.

Shelby plucked the Pink Energem from his outstretched hand. "Our energems!" she gasped.

"Energems!" Snide had recovered. "The key to my past, present, and future!"

"Who's this guy?" Chase asked out of the corner of his mouth as Philip joined him at the end of the line.

"He introduced himself as Master Snide," Philip said. "It would appear he is Sledge's replacement."

"Oh goody," Chase muttered. "Another one."

"It's like it never ends," Riley groaned.

"It does today," Miss Morgan assured them. She looked around at the others. "Ready?"

Tyler grinned. "Oh yeah! Dino Charger, ready!" He thrust the Charger out in front of him. Philip followed suit. "Energize!" Philip snapped it into the chamber on the blaster and pulled the trigger. "Unleash the Power!"

A moment later, Philip stood, ready to fight alongside his fellow Rangers as the Graphite Ranger. And _man_ , did it feel good. "Dino Steel, armor on!" Philip called out, feeling the extra metal plating work its' way down his arm as an added defense. Then, he threw himself into the fight. The Vivix were everywhere. Koda was after Ice Age, and Tyler was attacking Snide.

"It's good to see you again, Prince Philip!" Ivan called to him as they battled alongside each other. Philip knocked his opponent into Ivan's and sent them both crashing to the ground.

"Likewise," Philip told him, shaking Ivan's hand, then jumping back into the fray.

* * *

The fight was ended by the abrupt disappearance of Snide and the destruction of Ice Age by the Dino Spike, a sight Philip found most satisfactory. After clearing the area, he followed the others back to the museum.

"Home sweet home," Chase sighed, his skateboard tucked under his arm. "Though I'm going to have a hard time explaining to my Mum why I'm back in the States."

"You'll think of something," Tyler said.

"This beats the pig pen," Riley said happily. "I swear Matt gave me that job just to torture me 'cause I was gone all last summer."

"I thought I smelled something," Chase grinned, and Riley hit him in the arm.

"Koda." The voice that broke through the hellos came from Miss Morgan, who had placed a hand on Koda's arm and was looking up at him. "Thank you," she told him, and Koda happily lifted her into a hug, a sight that surprised Philip. Miss Morgan didn't seem the hugging type, but then, he had noticed that Koda was getting away with calling her Kendall instead of Miss Morgan.

Koda looked around the room. "I thought my biggest fear was ice, but…biggest fear…is losing my new family," he told them all.

Tyler glanced at Shelby. "Group hug?" he asked her. Shelby grinned.

"Group hug," she confirmed, and everyone converged on Koda. Happy that their friend had overcame his fear, but moreso because they were all together again.

At that moment, Keeper appeared, shimmering into view out of nowhere. Philip gaped. He couldn't get used to the alien appearing like that. "Rangers," the alien greeted them warmly. "I was hoping you wouldn't be needed again, but duty calls."

"Yeah, who's this Snide guy?" Chase asked.

"It was odd," Philip said. "Ice Age was calling for a Master Heckyl, but then backtracked when he saw it was Snide."

"So there's _two_ new players in town?" Riley wondered.

"We have eight of the Energems," Miss Morgan reminded them.

"And we know that the Aqua Ranger is out there somewhere, because the Ankylozord is awake," Shelby added. "So the Aqua Energem is out there somewhere."

"And the Silver," Philip added. "The tenth and final gem," he said, nodding to Miss Morgan.

"Let's get started!" Philip laughed at Tyler's boundless enthusiasm. Then, his smile faded, and he pulled Miss Morgan aside.

She began the conversation with, "I hear your life has gotten a bit interesting over the summer."

Philip ran a hand down his face. "I'm not sure how much assistance I'm going to be in helping you with Snide," he told her. "I do not want some psychopath with my picture on a wall finding out about any of you."

Miss Morgan nodded. "Anonymity is a precious thing."

"As is safety," Philip added. "Something you may not have if I am around."

"I'll do my best to keep your involvement with us to a minimum," she promised. "But you should also know, Philip, that we're stronger together." She looked him in the eye. "You have friends here."

 _She reminds me of Margaret._ "It's good to know that help is there if I need it," he said seriously. "I won't forget that."

"Welcome back, Prince Philip," Miss Morgan told him, offering her hand, and Philip chuckled as he shook it.

"Despite it all," he said, looking around, "it _is_ good to be back."


End file.
